Family identifies 17-year-old Henrico High School shooting victim
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - In the wake of a senseless string of gun violence targeting the city and county’s youth, another 17-year-old’s life was taken tragically in a Sunday morning shooting.
According to a spokesperson with the family, the teen is Henrico High School student David “Dae Dae” Dupree.
His family says he had several siblings, including a now 5-year-old sister who was the victim of gun violence two years earlier in the same area where Dupree was gunned down.
The teen was shot Sunday morning outside of St. Lukes’s apartment. Despite first responders’ best efforts to rush the teen to the hospital, he died from his injuries.
His family says he had several siblings, including a now 5-year-old sister who was the victim of gun violence two years earlier in the same area where Dupree was gunned down.
The family spokesperson said he was working to become a master barber and wanted to open a business to support his family after graduating. They say they believe he was robbed.
“It’s heartbreaking. It’s not just him. The past couple of killings were of kids under the age of 17, period. They’re not even making it to graduation,” said a woman who lives near the St. Luke’s apartment. “That was heartbreaking. I told my daughter she was not even allowed to go outside for a couple of days because of it.”
Dupree’s death came just hours before a march held to try to end the gun violence organized in response to the shooting death of 15-year-old Tynashia Humphry last week.
Dupree is the second teen killed in the past four months. Diamond Brown-Mosby also lost her life just a few weeks before graduating.
At this time, police have made no arrests, but they are pleading with the public to come forward with information to get the bad actors off of the streets before another life is senselessly taken.
The only thing I can say is y’all just need to be kids. Be kids!” said a Henrico resident. “If you want to play sports. If you want to do nails, do nails. If you want to do hair, do hair. That’s my whole thing. Be a kid. This is ridiculous.”
Henrico High School Principal Karin Castillo-Rose released the following statement to families:
“Understandably, the death of a classmate is traumatic for our students and faculty. I am asking parents and guardians to talk to their children in a manner they deem appropriate.”
School-based mental health staff will be available for students at the school throughout the week.
Dupree’s family said they would have a vigil for him later this week.
Anyone with information on David Dupree’s death is asked to call Henrico Police at 804-501-5000
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