Edward Lamont Santiful, 45, was shot and killed on the evening of October 11, 2023, on Dale Drive in Portsmouth, Virginia. Officers arrived after reports of gunfire around 6:45 p.m. and found Santiful with a gunshot wound; he was taken to a hospital and later died. He was remembered by family and friends as a beloved son, father, and brother with a crazy sense of humor. He was born August 16, 1978, to his mother, Francine.

On October 19, 2023, Portsmouth police announced the arrest of a 17-year-old male charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm, and underage possession of a firearm in connection with Santiful’s death. Investigators said the same teenager was linked to an earlier homicide on September 8, 2023, in which 31-year-old Erica Atkins was killed; the teen faces two counts of each charge.

Anyone who knew Santiful or has information about the shootings is asked to share what they know.