Police identify victim of Friday afternoon homicide in Danville

Caleb Morris, 25, shot and killed at home on Lanier Avenue

DANVILLE, Va.UPDATE

Police have identified the victim from a Danville shooting Friday afternoon. 

According to police, 25-year-old Caleb Morris was shot to death at a house in the 1000 block of Lanier Avenue.  

Just before 1 p.m., someone called 911 asking for help because someone had been shot.

When police officers arrived, they found a man inside a house with an apparent gunshot wound.

Attempts to save Morris's life were made for 20 minutes, according to police, but he was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting comes one day after Danville Police Chief Scott Booth held a news conference to tout major crime reductions in the city.

"It's unfortunate any time we have crime or anyone get hurt. The fact that it happened is very bad news, but that still doesn't take away from the fact that we and the community are trying to do a better job to make everything safe for everyone in this city," Danville Police Department Maj. Tim Jones said at the scene Friday afternoon.

A few houses away, 13-year-old Trevonte Brandon said he saw a man running down the street after the shooting.

"I just made sure my sister was OK," Brandon said. "I was very worried about that because I don't want anything to happen to her. She's only four. So I didn't want her to get hurt."

At the nearby Schoolfield Restaurant where Morris worked, restaurant co-owner John Shutts said Morris just had a baby last fall and was thinking about joining the military to support the baby.

"I'm still kind of in shock. Just another senseless death in our town of Danville," Shutts said. "Caleb had a great spirit. He was very energetic. He was exciting," Shutts said.

No information about the motive or suspects had been released Friday evening.

This is Danville's third homicide of the year.

There were 12 in 2018.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call 911, Danville Crime Stoppers at (434) 793-0000, the Detective Division at (434) 799-6508, or e-mail at crimetips@danvilleva.gov. Information given will remain confidential.


ORIGINAL STORY

Police say a man in his 20s is dead after a shooting in Danville Friday afternoon.

The 911 call about the shooting was received around 12:50 p.m.

First responders arrived at the scene in the 1000 block of Lanier Avenue and treated the victim for 20 minutes before he died at the scene.

The road remains closed to through traffic at this time as officers investigate.

The road is less than a mile away from Ballou Park.