Gunman who shot a man outside Portsmouth daycare is sentenced to 18 years

PORTSMOUTH — A man who fatally shot another man outside a daycare center last year was sentenced Tuesday to 18 years in prison.

Ryheem Jasaun Hargrow Pugh was found guilty after a February jury trial of second-degree murder and two firearm charges.

Rocco Marcus Nixon, who had children that attended Gifted Minds Academy on King Street, was killed June 1 outside the center.

According to prosecutors, Hargrow Pugh drove to the center that morning with the mother of Nixon’s children, as well as the children. Nixon, 34, drove up in a separate vehicle. The two men got out of their cars, and Hargrow Pugh, 22 at the time, fired multiple shots at Nixon. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com