Bradi James Florence, an 18-year-old Parkersburg resident and 2025 Parkersburg South High School graduate, died after a December 8, 2025 shooting near the Southwood Park basketball courts on Belmont Road. Reports say the shooting occurred shortly before 2 p.m. while Florence sat in a parked vehicle with two others, Devon Forshey and Jairan Gandee. Florence was critically wounded and remained hospitalized until he died from his injuries on December 11.

Prosecutors say Butch Wayne Knight allegedly approached the vehicle after being dropped off about a block away, exchanged only a brief verbal confrontation and then fired eight rounds into the car. Forshey was wounded; Gandee was not hit. Knight was located and taken into custody within minutes and initially charged with three counts of attempted murder. After Florence’s death, charges were upgraded to first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and eight counts of wanton endangerment; Knight was denied bond and later indicted. No trial verdict or conviction has been reported.

Does anyone in the Parkersburg area have information about that afternoon near Southwood Park that could help clarify what happened?