LaRon Harrison

LaRon Harrison, a 32-year-old Black man remembered as a loyal father, son, and brother, was a beloved member of his Richmond, Virginia, community. His mother, Latrice Harrison, said he "meant the world" to his family. Harrison was a devoted father to his young son, who was seven years old at the time of his father's death. At a vigil held after his passing, his mother discovered the breadth of his impact, realizing "he meant this much to you all." Friends and family remembered him as a loyal friend and brother, even through arguments.

The Fourth of July in 2021 was a day of celebration that turned into a devastating tragedy for the Harrison family. The holiday also marked the birthday of LaRon's sister. That evening, inside his sister's home in the Fairfield neighborhood, a violent altercation cut LaRon's life short. At approximately 10:15 p.m., Richmond Police Department officers were called to the 2500 block of Rosetta Street for a report of a person shot. When they arrived, they found LaRon Harrison suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.

The shooting occurred during one of the most violent holiday weekends in the city's recent history, with Harrison being one of four people murdered in the metro Richmond area. His mother, Latrice, received a call around 10 p.m. informing her that her son had been shot and was on the floor of her daughter's home. The medical examiner later determined the cause and manner of death.

The Richmond Police Department's Major Crimes division immediately launched a homicide investigation. Detectives began processing the scene and interviewing witnesses. Within days, the investigation led to a suspect. Police identified Jamaal Pointer, a 34-year-old from Richmond, as the alleged shooter. According to Harrison's mother, Pointer and her son were supposedly friends. Pointer was taken into custody in neighboring Henrico County and was subsequently charged with murder and firearms violations in connection with Harrison's death.

In the wake of the killing, family and friends gathered on Rosette Street to hold a vigil for LaRon. Mourners shared memories and supported one another in their grief. Harrison's young son spoke heartbreakingly at the event, saying, "I miss him very much and wish he was here right now." His mother expressed her pain, stating, "Even through arguments, he was still a brother; he was still a friend; he was still a son. He was loyal." The family held funeral services for LaRon on July 14, 2021, at the Crusade for Christ Christian Church Ministries.

A year after her son's murder, Latrice Harrison organized a community cookout to honor his memory and to bring together other families who had lost loved ones to violence. She spoke of the enduring pain, explaining that the Fourth of July would forever be bittersweet. Despite her grief, she expressed a remarkable capacity for forgiveness. "I've forgiven the person," she said. "I can't hold that because if something happens to me, I want to be able to see my son again." As of July 2022, Jamaal Pointer was scheduled to appear in court for his murder trial in September of that year, and Latrice Harrison planned to be there with her family. Police asked anyone with further information to call Major Crimes Detective G. Russell at (804) 646-7715 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.