Raphael Davis Jr.

Raphael Girard Davis Jr., a 16-year-old Hampton boy known to his loved ones as “Lil Ralph,” was looking forward to his future. Born on June 21, 1996, to his parents Ralpheal Davis Sr. and Promise Anthony, he was remembered by his family as a bright and cheerful young man who loved basketball and was always dancing. He was a typical teenager, enjoying a night out with friends, when his life was cut short by a burst of senseless violence that also wounded four other young people and shook the community.

On the evening of Saturday, May 25, 2013, the festive atmosphere of the Hampton Spring Carnival, held near the Hampton Coliseum, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Around 11 p.m., as the carnival was closing, a verbal altercation erupted between two groups of people in the 1900 block of Coliseum Drive. The argument quickly escalated, and at least one person pulled out a gun and began firing into the crowd. In the chaos that followed, five teenagers were struck by bullets. Raphael, who was leaving the carnival with friends, was hit in the upper torso.

Hampton Police Division officers who were already in the area rushed to the scene. They found Raphael lying in the street. Emergency services transported him to a local hospital, but his injury was too severe, and he was pronounced deceased at 11:14 p.m. The four other victims were found in the parking lots of nearby hotels. They included a 14-year-old boy from Hampton who was shot in the back and left in critical condition, an 18-year-old Hampton male shot in the leg, a 17-year-old Newport News male also shot in the leg, and a 16-year-old Newport News female who was struck in the ankle. The three latter victims were treated for their injuries and released.

In the wake of the tragedy, city officials immediately canceled the remainder of the popular carnival, which had been scheduled to run until June 2. The community responded with grief and outrage. A vigil was held on Memorial Day in the parking lot of the Hampton Coliseum, where family and friends gathered to mourn Raphael and call for an end to youth violence. His aunt, Dawn Moses, thanked the crowd for their support, saying, "I know today is a day for fallen soldiers but it's also turned out to be a day for our fallen children... let's keep coming together so we can stop the violence." Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell, who also spoke at the vigil, lamented the "sickness" of senseless violence plaguing the region.

The Hampton Police Division launched an intensive investigation. Within two days, on May 27, 2013, they announced the arrests of two suspects: a 15-year-old, later identified as Ryan Taybron, and a 17-year-old, identified as Eric Nixon. Both were from Hampton and were each charged with one count of murder for Raphael's death, four counts of maiming, and five counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. The case appeared to be moving toward a resolution as it was sent to Hampton Circuit Court.

However, the path to justice took an unexpected turn. In April 2014, nearly a year after the shooting, the Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney's office announced that all charges against both Nixon and Taybron in connection with the carnival shooting had been 'nol prossed.' This legal maneuver meant the charges were dropped, but it was not an acquittal. The charges could be brought back at a later date if sufficient new evidence emerged. The decision left the case unresolved and Raphael's family still waiting for answers and accountability.

As of the last reports, no new charges have been filed in the 2013 murder of Raphael Davis Jr., and his homicide is considered an unsolved case. In the years that followed, both Eric Nixon and Ryan Taybron were convicted on unrelated federal racketeering charges for violent crimes they committed between 2015 and 2017 as members of the 36th Street Bang Squad gang. In 2021, both were sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. While they are incarcerated for other serious offenses, the legal case for the death of Raphael Davis Jr. remains open, leaving a painful void for his family and a community still searching for closure. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.