ROANOKE, Va. – Update:
The Roanoke Police Department provided an update and identified the victims of a double homicide that occurred in the parking lot of the ReFreshing Church on Sunday.
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Police say they responded to the report of two men inside a car with bullet wounds at 9:18 a.m. Both victims were declared dead at the scene.
The two men have been identified as 37-year-old Jeffrie Lamont Meadows, of Wytheville and 35-year-old Khireem Jerome Porter of Radford. At this time, investigators believe they were killed overnight, and the investigation is ongoing.
Bishop J.L. Jackson, the lead pastor of ReFreshing Church, released a statement regarding the incident.
“With a heavy heart, I write to you following the tragic loss of life that occurred in the parking lot of ReFreshing Church during the overnight hours between Saturday night and Sunday morning,” Jackson said in part. “First and foremost, we extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the families and loved ones of the two men whose lives were taken. No words can fully capture the grief, shock, and sorrow that comes with this kind of loss. We mourn with you. We pray with you. And we stand with you.”
Read Jackson’s full statement below:
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Roanoke Police Department at 540-344-8500.
Original:
Roanoke’s ReFreshing Church released a statement following a double homicide in its parking lot overnight Saturday into Sunday morning.
At about 9:15 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to the 2000 block of Carroll Avenue Northwest and found two men in a car who had been shot. Both were declared dead at the scene, authorities said.
Bishop J.L. Jackson called the incident devastating for the church and community. He also expressed gratitude to the Roanoke Police Department for its commitment to community safety.
“Today was an extremely heavy day for our church and our neighborhood,” he said in a Facebook post. “But I want to take a moment to publicly thank the Roanoke Police Department for the way they showed up—not only as officers, but as servants. They didn’t just secure the scene and do their job. They also made sure we could still access the front entrance so that our church family could gather for worship.”
You can view the entire statement from the ReFreshing Church below:
The investigation remains ongoing. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Roanoke Police Department at 540-344-8500.
We will update you with more information as it becomes available.