A late-night shooting in Portsmouth has left one man dead and two others injured as police continue searching for answers. The violence unfolded just before midnight Thursday in the 1100 block of Virginia Avenue, a neighborhood that quickly became the focus of a major police investigation.
According to authorities, officers were dispatched at approximately 11:53 p.m. after reports of gunfire in the area. When they arrived, they found an unresponsive man suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite efforts to help him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police later identified the victim as 33-year-old Antwan DeShawn Bell. His death has added another layer of grief to a community now waiting for investigators to determine exactly what happened in the moments leading up to the shooting.
During the same incident, officers located a second adult male who had also been shot. Emergency responders transported him to a local hospital for treatment. A third victim later arrived at a hospital on their own seeking medical attention for injuries connected to the shooting.
Officials have not released information about the conditions of the two surviving victims. Their identities have also not been made public.
Investigators spent hours at the scene collecting evidence and interviewing potential witnesses. Police secured the area overnight as detectives worked to piece together the sequence of events that led to the gunfire.
At this stage, authorities have not announced any suspects, arrests, or possible motives. Detectives have also not said whether the victims knew each other or if they were specifically targeted.
The investigation remains active, and police are asking anyone with information to come forward. As loved ones mourn the loss of Antwan DeShawn Bell, many residents are hoping investigators can quickly uncover what happened and bring clarity to a case that has shaken the Portsmouth community.
