'No more premature deaths': Community mourns teen killed at Pecan Acres in Petersburg

PETERSBURG – A teenager was killed and another wounded in a shooting Tuesday night in the city’s Pecan Acres community.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Petersburg City Public Schools system mourned the loss, noting that the teen killed was a student at Petersburg High School.

“PCPS is heartbroken to share the news of a tragic loss in our school community [praying hands emoji],” the post read. “We are deeply saddened to share that a Petersburg High School student was tragically shot and killed last night. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family, friends and the entire PHS community at this difficult time.”

Petersburg Police identified the victim as 17-year-old Tamarri Mason. The second shooting victim, an unidentified 15-year-old male, was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a non-life threatening injury.

Deputy Chief Emanuel Chambliss said Mason and the other youth were found shot around 8:50 p.m. in the 600 block of Cottonwood Drive. By the time emergency personnel arrived at the scene, Chambliss said, Mason already had died of his injury.

No motive or suspect information was given for the incident. Police are asking anyone who may have information to contact Crime Solvers at (804) 861-1212 or use the P3Tips mobile app.

The killing is Petersburg’s third homicide of the year.

Petersburg pastor Belinda Baugh, one of the city's most vocal advocates for families of murder victims, took to Facebook to share frustration and ask for "no more premature deaths" in the city.

"I know for some it doesn’t seem to matter because it’s not personal," Baugh wrote. "But if you ever stand out there and try your hardest to comfort someone when their loved one is laying in the street while watching their families, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, aunties, cousins screaming as they watch their son, grandchild, granddaughter lay out in the street, you don’t know what to say, so you turn your face to the Lord and hold them and try to help them breathe in between each scream."

Hostage situation later

Roughly four hours after the Pecan Acres homicide, around 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, police were called to the Ivy Gates Apartments off South Sycamore Street after neighbors reported two women being held against their will in an apartment.

Chambliss said officers were able to get the women out safely before engaging in a brief standoff with the armed suspect, who they identified as Quantey McDonald. McDonald reportedly had barricaded himself inside the apartment and would not heed repeated calls to surrender.

After the Virginia State Police Tactical Team was called, authorities got into the apartment and found McDonald hiding with his gun. He was arrested without incident, and charged with two counts of abduction and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Neither woman was reported injured.

Chambliss said the standoff was unrelated to the Pecan Acres homicide.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Two teens shot, one fatally, at Petersburg housing complex