Jenkins was on-call for breaking news that evening and an editor had reached out to her "repeatedly to ask her to cover it," not knowing she had been injured.
Trigger Warning: This story mentions gun violence that may be disturbing to readers.
Sierra M. Jenkins of Norfolk was out with her best friend from middle school when her life came to a tragic end.
Jenkins was one of two people killed early morning March 19, 2022, when gunfire erupted on Granby Street, according to the Norfolk Police Department. Three other individuals were injured during the shooting as well, reports PEOPLE.
"Just before 2:00 a.m. on March 19, 2022, an Officer was notified of a gunshot victim in the 300 block of Granby Street. The Officer located a man suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound and transported him to the hospital," the news release reads.
Twenty-five-year-old Jenkins was a journalist who worked at The Virginian-Pilot prior to her death, the publication confirmed.
Jenkins had been at Chicho’s Pizza Backstage with her best friend, according to her family. The restaurant and bar were about to close when an argument started outside and Jenkins was caught in the line of fire.
Jenkins was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
We are devastated to report that Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press reporter Sierra Jenkins was among the victims of an overnight shooting in downtown Norfolk. She was 24. https://t.co/ctmC5xHvkr
— The Virginian-Pilot (@virginianpilot) March 19, 2022
The newspaper reports that Jenkins was on-call for breaking news that evening and that an editor had reached out to her "repeatedly to ask her to cover it," not knowing she had been injured.
"We are devastated to report that Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press reporter Sierra Jenkins was among the victims of an overnight shooting in downtown Norfolk," the Pilot tweeted Saturday morning.
Rory Schindel, the manager at Chicho's Pizza Backstage, said he caught wind of an argument outside of the establishment shortly after bartenders announced the last call around 1:30 am, local time. He recalled customers had begun to exit when shots were fired.
Schindel recalled that Jenkins was part of "a nice group" that "took good care of our bartenders" prior to the shooting. "It was just a normal night," the manager said. "There were a lot of people there, as usual, and there was a great atmosphere inside."
Virginian-Pilot newspaper reporter and former CNN news assistant Sierra Jenkins was among the individuals shot and killed in an early Saturday morning shooting that left one more person dead and three others injured, Norfolk, Virginia. She was 25.https://t.co/TLoxDQfrkg
— CNN (@CNN) March 20, 2022
A second victim, Devon M. Harris, 25, of Portsmouth, was pronounced dead at the scene, police reported. The three other victims were also transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for medical treatment. Their current conditions are unknown.
Meanwhile, Pilot reporter Jane Harper wrote on Twitter that she was "asked to fill in" for Jenkins Saturday morning as a result, and "found later why."
"I've covered more murders than I can count during my reporting career but today's will always stand out," Harper tweeted. "Among the victims was my sweet colleague Sierra Jenkins."
Jenkins had just celebrated her 25th birthday on March 13, the Sunday prior to her death, her father said. Maurice Jenkins described his daughter as "a sweet, caring, and hard-working young woman who loved being a journalist."
"Everyone loved her," he said. "She was such an energetic, caring, and giving person. A real go-getter. She'd do anything for anyone."
References:
https://www.norfolk.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5985
https://twitter.com/virginianpilot/status/1505221553188917248
https://twitter.com/janeharpervp/status/1505247922190962694
Cover Image Source: YouTube | 11Alive (Remembering GSU alumna, former Atlanta reporter shot, killed in Virginia)
