Richmond: Person of interest detained in Justice Center shooting, armed robbery incident

A person of interest is in police custody in connection with a murder that occurred in the parking lot of the Richmond City Justice Center on Monday. The suspect is also linked to an armed robbery that occurred on Sunday morning that left an employee of a convenience store with life-threatening injuries.

Naim Crews Jr., 28, of Richmond, was detained by Richmond Police Department officers on Monday afternoon in the Fairmont neighborhood after receiving information of his possible involvement in the Sunday shooting. Detectives investigating the Monday homicide developed him as a person of interest in that shooting as well.

The first incident occurred on Sunday at 11:38 a.m. A convenience store in the 1400 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike reported an armed robbery where Crews is accused of entering the store and demanding money before shooting a male employee. Police report that Crews was not injured and left the area.

The adult male employee was transported to a local hospital with injuries that are considered life threatening. His identity has not been released.

Crews has been charged with attempted murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the shooting at the convenience store.

In the separate incident on Monday, a 34-year-old Henrico County man, Timothy Ward, died in a parking lot from a gunshot wound.

At 12:04 p.m., a Richmond Police Department detective was in the parking lot of the Richmond Justice Center, located in the 1700 block of Fairfield Way, walking toward the building. The detective heard a gunshot nearby and investigated. In the parking lot near the roadway the detective found an adult male, Ward, down and unresponsive. He had suffered an apparent gunshot wound.

Charges for Crews in this case are pending.

Detectives are continuing to investigate this homicide and the aggravated assault at the convenience store.

Anyone with further information about these incidents is asked to call Detective K. Hyde at (804) 646-3613 or call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.