Hampton police: Three shot in shopping center parking lot

April 25--Three men were shot in a Hampton shopping center parking lot Thursday evening, city police said.

The shooting was reported just before 5:45 p.m. in the Kecoughtan Shopping Center in the 3800 block of Kecoughtan Road.

There, police found evidence that JCS Insurance, which was unoccupied, had been struck by gunfire, Hampton Police Division spokesman Sgt. Jason Price said in a news release.

Just after 6 p.m., two men suffering from gunshot wounds walked into a local hospital, Price said. The two were taken there by people they knew, he said.

One was shot in the upper torso with injuries that were initially life-threatening but later was in critical but stable condition. The other was shot in the lower torso and suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Price said.

A third man who suffered a gunshot wound to the upper torso took himself to a local hospital just before 7:45 p.m., Price said. That man's injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Those involved in the shooting were inside a GMC Envoy in the parking lot when an altercation took place and the shooting occurred, according to a preliminary police investigation.

While investigators collected evidence outside Chanello's Pizza in the shopping center, information such as the circumstances and motive of the shooting were still under investigation Thursday night.

Walida Hooker, who had been shopping at the liquor store after the shooting, called the incident "shocking."

"I never would've imagined something like this in our neighborhood," she said.

James Gray, who had gone to a nearby Food Lion, came to the scene afterward to take a look at what was going on.

"It's a lot of excitement for a place that's normally empty," he said.

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or text HAMPTONPDTIPS and the information to 274637 (CRIMES).

Castillo can be reached by phone at 757-247-4635.

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