Mother of 18-year-old Richmond shooting victim speaks out

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The family of a Richmond teenager who was shot and killed in his home just 48 hours before his high school graduation is speaking out.

Richmond Police officers were called to the 1600 block of Edwards Avenue on Wednesday, May 22 for a reported shooting and found 18-year-old Tyshawn White dead at the scene .

According to police, a relative of the victim directed them to White, who was down and unresponsive inside of the home with a gunshot wound.

“My son was murdered,” White’s mother, Toni Atkins, told 8News.

Atkins said she came home on that Wednesday afternoon and found her house destroyed. Although police have not yet confirmed the circumstances of the deadly shooting, Atkins said that someone broke into her house and shot her son.

Her son, who she described as a gentle giant, had plans of going to college, but was shot and killed just two days before he was set to receive his high school diploma .

“For me not to be able to have a picture of him in his cap and gown, I will never feel complete,” Atkins said.

In the time that has passed, Atkins feels as if she has not been getting answers from police about her son’s case. She reached out to 8News to share her concerns.

“Within these last two months, I’ve had maybe three contacts [with the detective],” Atkins said. “We should have better communication; it should have been one-on-one. I shouldn’t have to go searching for the police to figure out anything. They should be there working for my son, my son should be their main priority.”

A spokesperson for the Richmond Police Department told 8News they have been in contact with Atkins and plan to schedule a meeting within the next week.

Atkins hopes that she can get some kind of answers soon, and finally get justice for her son.

“My son was taken in his home. He wasn’t on the street,” Atkins said. “He was doing what he was supposed to. He was in school. He was robbed.”

Police did not share any additional updates about this case.

Anyone with information is asked to call Major Crimes Detective G. Sullivan at 804-646-3929 .

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