Police have captured a woman who was on the run after killing a man near a school in February.
J’mya T. Stimpson, 22, has been charged with 1st-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony, according to Roanoke Police.
Stimpson had originally been named a person of interest when investigations were underway. After she was brought in for questioning, detectives suspected she may have committed the murder and worked with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office to present the case to the Roanoke City Grand Jury. She was later indicted.
At the time of the murder, authorities responded to a call at William Fleming High School, where they discovered a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to injuries and was pronounced dead. His name has not been released.
Following the murder, a hold-and-secure was placed at the school nearby while police combed through the area for suspects in the fatal shooting.
At the beginning of the investigation, Roanoke City Schools sent the following message to families:
Good afternoon. This is an important message from William Fleming High School Principal Tracey Anderson. William Fleming is currently on a “hold and secure” out of an abundance of caution due to nearby police activity in the community. While the school is on “hold and secure,” students who are scheduled for early release will also remain in the school. We will update you when the “hold and secure” is lifted. “Hold and secure” means our students are remaining inside the building while the School Resource Officer and school security personnel monitor all doors to ensure the school remains secure.
According to a Stanford University study, “more than 100,000 American children attended a school at which a shooting took place in 2018 and 2019,” adding that “research indicates a higher rate of antidepressant use among those exposed to a school shooting in the years following the gun violence.”
