HAMPTON, Va. — A fatal shooting on Monday, June 30, 2025, has left 52-year-old Larry Smith dead and 21-year-old Da’Quan Jones in police custody, following a deadly altercation on Burton Street in Hampton. Police responded to the scene just before 1:00 p.m., where they discovered Smith lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Hampton Police Division, the shooting occurred after a verbal confrontation between Smith and Jones escalated while the two were walking near the intersection of Burton Street and Londonshire Terrace. During the argument, investigators say Jones produced a firearm and opened fire on Smith.
Jones, a resident of Hampton, was quickly located and taken into custody. He now faces multiple charges, including:
•Second-Degree Murder
•Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony
•Reckless Handling of a Firearm
•Willful Discharge of a Firearm in Public
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Alleged Shooter’s Father Speaks Out
On the scene, emotions ran high—not only from the victim’s grieving family but also from the family of the accused. Lorenzo Jones, the father of Da’Quan Jones, spoke with 13News Now, claiming his son was acting in self-defense.
“This is crazy. Now my child is in jail,” Lorenzo said, clearly distraught. “He doesn’t harm anybody for no reason. This man [Larry Smith] was trying to hurt my child, and that’s why he fired his firearm. That’s the only reason. He’s nobody’s murderer, he’s nobody’s killer. That’s not who he is.”
Lorenzo also stated that a protective order had previously been filed by a family member against Larry Smith, suggesting a troubled history between the families. Authorities have not yet confirmed those claims, and the details surrounding any previous conflicts remain under investigation.
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Eyewitness Recounts the Scene
Neighbor Sonya Ivey, who lives nearby, told investigators and reporters that she heard gunshots and saw Larry Smith collapse outside her window.
“I’m shocked, scared,” Ivey said. “I thought this was a safe neighborhood. He [Jones] was running away after seeing this man lying there lifeless, and just the disregard for what he had just done—to this man, to his family—it was hard to watch.”
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Community Grieves as Investigation Unfolds
The shooting has devastated two families and shaken the Hampton community. Larry Smith’s loved ones were too overcome with grief to speak on camera but expressed their need for answers and accountability.
Meanwhile, the Jones family remains stunned, defending Da’Quan as someone who was not violent by nature and had no intent to kill. “I’m still delirious right now. I can’t believe this happened,” Lorenzo Jones said.
The Hampton Police Division’s Major Crimes Unit is continuing the investigation and has urged anyone with additional information to come forward. So far, they have not released further details regarding the confrontation or any past disputes between Smith and Jones.
As both families mourn and seek justice, the community is left grappling with yet another tragic example of how quickly lives can change in an instant.
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