19-year-old Amari Ty-Jon Pollard has been charged with two counts of second-degree in connection with the incident

Pollard shot dead a father and son at Virginia high school graduation shooting,wounding 5 others, one in critical condition

Shooting began around 5:15 pm Tuesday, across from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Altria Theater, where Huguenot High School was hosting its commencement ceremony

Renzo Smith, 36, and his son Shawn Jackson, 18, were killed during a Virginia high school graduation ceremony on Tuesday

Shawn’s nine-year-old sister was also hit by a car in the melee and is now in a wheel chair

After the shooting, a 19-year-old man was taken into custody and is expected to face second-degree murder charges

Shooting erupted just minutes following the graduation ceremony on Tuesday as new graduands were outside taking photos with family members and friends

Police believe shooter knew at least one of the victims

Renzo Smith and his son Shawn Jackson, 18,who had just graduated, were killed during the graduation ceremony of Huguenot High School in Richmond, Virginia on Tuesday

Two people were shot dead and five others wounded when bullets flew outside a high school graduation ceremony in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday, according to officials.
The shooting erupted around 5:15 p.m. across from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Altria Theater, where Huguenot High School was hosting its commencement ceremony, Interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said at a press conference. 
Video from the scene captures the chilling sounds of gunfire reverberating through the air, sending graduates and their families scrambling for cover.
“As they heard the gunfire, it was obviously chaos,” Edwards said. “We had hundreds of people in Monroe Park, so people scattered. It was very chaotic at the scene.”

Amari Ty-Jon Pollard, [photo], 19, has been charged with two counts of second-degree in connection after the shooting at Huguenot High School’s graduation ceremony in Richmond, VA, on Tuesday that killed a father and son

The police chief said cops inside the theater heard gunshots and radioed officers stationed outside who then discovered multiple shooting victims at the park across from the city-owned building.
The fatalities were identified by a family member as as 36-year-old Renzo Smith and his son Shawn Jackson, 18. Both suffered gunshot wounds later died from their injuries.
Jackson was a graduating senior and his 36-year-old father Smith, was killed minutes after witnessing his son’s graduation ceremony. 
19-year-old Amari Ty-Jon Pollard was taken into custody following the shooting. He was charged Wednesday with two counts of second-degree murder.
Initially two people were arrested, although police now believe that only Pollard was involved in the shooting.
Police who believe Pollard knew at least one of the victims said they are not looking for anyone else at this time.

The shooting erupted just minutes following the graduation ceremony on Tuesday. The new graduands were outside taking photos with family members and friends when gunfire erupted

The carnage happened as the high school was holding it’s graduation ceremony at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Altria Theater, on Tuesday evening

Five other victims, a 14-year-old boy and four adult males ages 31, 32, 55 and 58, were also struck by gunfire.
The 31-year-old man sustained life-threatening injuries while the four others were listed in stable condition, authorities said. 
In addition to the seven gunshot victims, at least a dozen people were injured or treated for panic attacks due to the chaos that erupted following the sound of gunfire. 
Two people were injured from falls, a 9-year-old girl was struck by a car at the scene and nine more went to the hospital for panic attacks or minor injuries.
The little girl was not seriously hurt. 
“This should have been a safe space. People should have felt safe at a graduation,” Chief Edwards said. “It’s just incredibly tragic that someone decided to bring a gun to this incident and rain terror on our community.”

The gunfire erupted around 5:15 p.m. across from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Altria Theater.

The new graduands were outside taking photos with family members and friends when the shots rang out, according to Richmond Public Schools superintendent Jason Kamras.
Footage from the scene, taken by an uncle of a graduating student, shows a group of new grads joyously cheering, clapping and jumping up and down among a sea of students and their families outside the theater. 
Seconds later, the happy scene abruptly changes to panic as roughly 20 gunshots ring out. Gunfire sent the crowd of celebrants and their families scrambling for cover in the building in panic. 

18-year-old Shawn Jackson in his cap and gown prior to the graduation ceremony [right], was killed along with his dad who was there to witness his graduation. Renzo Smith, [left], was shot and killed just minutes after watching his son graduate

Two suspects have been taken into custody.
One suspect, 19-year-old Amari Ty-Jon Pollard, who police believe knew at least one of the victims. has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, with more potential charges to follow, according to police sources.
Another person was taken into custody who had a firearm, but police now believe that this person was not involved in the shooting. Four firearms were recovered on the scene.

After the chaos, a 19-year-old man was taken into custody. He and is expected to face second-degree murder charges.

A witness told local station 8News they heard at least 30 gunshots and sources told the station that four firearms were recovered at the scene.
“Everyone literally started running for their lives,” the witness explained.
School board member Jonathan Roung told local station WWBT that the gunfire prompted “a stampede” of people returning to the building.
The police chief said there was no longer a threat to the public after police arrested the suspect, who has not been publicly identified.
“We’re going to do everything we can to bring the individuals involved in this to justice,” Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said at the news conference. “This should not be happening anywhere.”
The Richmond school district announced that all high school graduations scheduled for this week have been canceled and all schools will be closed Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution.”

In addition to the seven struck by gunfire, two people were injured from falls, a 9-year-old was struck by a car at the scene and three more went to the hospital for panic attacks.

“This is supposed to be a joyous day when our kids walk the stage and get their diplomas, which is what they all did here today for Huguenot … and then this tragedy occurred,” Kamras told reporters at the scene. “I’m just tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot. I beg of the entire community to stop.”