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Norfolk woman sentenced to 10 years for shooting ‘peacemaker in cold blood’

Crystal Graham
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A 28-year-old woman was sentenced Friday to serve 10 years in prison after a jury found her guilty of shooting a “peacemaker” at a Norfolk apartment complex last year.

In April, Ashley Shakia Lewis was found guilty of malicious wounding, using a firearm in the commission of malicious wounding and shooting in a public place resulting in an injury. In June, Lewis pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Judge Joseph C. Lindsey sentenced Lewis to serve 10 years in prison and suspended another 20 years on the conditions that Lewis complete three years of uniform good behavior and 10 years of supervised probation following her release.

Court records indicate that on July 2, 2023, Lewis and another woman got into a physical fight in the parking lot of the Berekley apartment complex.

A woman tried to break up the physical fight and make peace between the two women. Lewis got into her car after the fight and began to drive off but returned with a gun shortly thereafter. Lewis then shot the woman who tried to break up the fight in her stomach after yelling “I’m going to kill you.”

Lewis was arrested the following month and charged in connection to the shooting.

“Ms. Lewis shot and wounded a peacemaker in cold blood, exercised her right to a jury and was rightfully convicted,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi.

“Ms. Lewis will now pay the price for her unnecessary and dangerous crime. I am grateful to the victim for her efforts to diffuse violence before this crime and hold Ms. Lewis accountable afterward. I wish her well as she continues to heal.”

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony J. Balady prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jose R. Oyola led the investigation.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.