Isaiah Steven Nichols, 21, of Newport News, Virginia, was killed in a shooting in the early hours of February 14, 2026. Officers responded shortly after midnight to reports of gunfire on J. Clyde Morris Boulevard and found Nichols outside with a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene. His family remembered him as Zaih, a hardworking young man who enjoyed fishing, skateboarding, animals and time with loved ones. Funeral arrangements listed visitation on February 22, a service on February 23 and burial in Hurt.

Police detained a person of interest at the scene who was later identified as Elvis Barrow of Hampton. Barrow was booked into the Newport News city jail and charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a non-violent convicted felon within 10 years. Reporting available through August 9, 2026 gives no detailed, reliable account of what led to the shooting, a stated motive, or a completed trial, plea, conviction or sentence.