On the late afternoon of November 28, 2023, 29-year-old DeVaughn A. Lawrence was found fatally shot in the 100 block of Perry Street in Petersburg. Police discovered him after responding to reports of gunfire at about 4:07 p.m.; he was pronounced dead at the scene. Lawrence’s death was recorded as the city’s 22nd homicide for 2023, tying Petersburg’s annual record set in 2020.

Investigators later identified a suspect and, on December 5, 2023, took 24-year-old Jasmine Yancey into custody without incident. Yancey has been charged with first-degree murder and with using a firearm in the commission of a felony and is being held pending court proceedings. The shooting prompted community discussion about safety and prevention measures.

If anyone has information about DeVaughn Lawrence or the events on Perry Street that afternoon, please share what you know.