Chesterfield police investigate shooting outside restaurant

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WWBT) - Police are investigating a shooting that happened outside of the Ocean Crab Cajun Seafood and Bar just after 2 a.m. Sunday.

Investigators were still on the scene Sunday afternoon talking to people at the restaurant and trying to figure out what happened.

When police received the 911 call and arrived at the scene, they found one man shot. He was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police are reporting that the victim and another unidentified man had a physical confrontation outside of the eatery when the gunfire erupted.

Journey Christian Church sits in a lot behind the restaurant off Hull Street Road. Those with the church said that they learned about the shooting when they came in to get ready for Sunday services.

Now, they’re helping the police with the investigation.

“We already had an officer here that was here when we came in and we cooperated with them by showing them our video footage. They were concerned whether or not there might be a weapon lying around that had gotten disposed of and they were concerned about the safety of our folks coming in for church,” said Steve Franklin, director of Operations with Journey Christian Church.

Franklin said officers didn’t see anything on their security camera footage related to the shooting. He only remembers one other incident happening near the church in the past. Despite the nearby crime, he still feels the area surrounding the church is safe.

“The last major thing was when the credit union just to the east of our building was robbed several years ago...it’s not scary, we have security here,” Franklin explained.

The incident is also being investigated by Virginia ABC, which previously told NBC12 that they conduct public safety investigations when an act of violence results in death or bodily harm in or near a licensed establishment.

According to policy, the shooting could result in action taken against the business’s liquor license.

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