A Virginia teacher loved by students, faculty and staff was shot and killed in a domestic dispute, authorities say.
Joi Kimitra Brown, 45, was found dead at her home in Hampton after officers responded to a call of a shooting last Sunday evening. Shortly before 8 PM, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers also found a man with life-threatening injuries inside the home where Brown was shot. He is currently in the hospital undergoing treatment.
According to police, the incident appears to be domestic in nature. An investigation is underway. Brown taught at Kecoughtan High School with Hampton City Schools as a health and physical education teacher.
“Joi Brown has been a valued member of the Kecoughtan High School team,” Executive Principal Dr. Violet Whiteman wrote in a statement. “She has touched countless lives and has been loved by her students, their families, and our staff. We will cherish her memory and the students and staff will miss her greatly.”
Jermar James, Brown’s neighbor, initially discovered her and the man at the home where the victim was killed and said he thought he check in on them since he hadn’t heard from them all day. When he approached their door, he noticed it was unlocked and later found that the man had scratches and a wound on his head. He proceeded to call 911 after he found Brown dead.
“He only said two words to me. He just said, ‘What’s up, bro?’ And I asked him, ‘Where’s Joi at?’ He told me, ‘Downstairs.’ I didn’t see her downstairs and that’s when I went up the stairs and saw her in the bedroom,” James said. “His mind just wasn’t there. It was almost like he was in a zombie state. Just gone.”
He further added that he knew them both for years and they would frequently hang out together.
“We go out, hang out, cookouts; We have family events where they invite us to their house, we invite them to our house,” James said.
He added that Brown was a diligent career woman who everyone loved because she was a sincere joy to be around.
“She had a lot of things going for her. She was a school teacher, she got into real estate,” James said. “She was ambitious. If she set a goal, she would go for it and she would take it straight on.”
Anyone with any information about the death of Brown is asked to contact the Hampton Police Division at 757–727–6111 or the Crime Line at 1–888-562-5887. Tipsters can also leave information anonymously using the tip form at P3Tips.com. “Callers remain anonymous and never appear in court,” reads a 13 News Now report. “If a Crime Line tip results in an arrest, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1500.00.”
