Young Reporter Fatally Shot in Bar Altercation

Sally Jenkins of 'Virginian-Pilot' was killed in Norfolk
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 20, 2022 7:31 AM CDT
Reporter Supposed to Cover Shooting Was Victim Instead
A person walks by Chicho’s Pizza Backstage, in Norfolk, Va., Saturday, March 19, 2022, where a fatal shooting took place outside the restaurant and bar earlier in the day.   (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

A Virginia newspaper reporter was one of two people killed during a shooting early Saturday outside a restaurant and bar, per the AP. Sierra Jenkins, 25, who covered education for the Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, died at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital after the shooting outside Chicho’s Pizza Backstage, according to officials. Norfolk police detectives were investigating the shooting, which also resulted in injuries to three others. Jenkins was caught in the crossfire as she was leaving the bar, restaurant manager Rory Schindel told the newspaper. No arrests had been announced as of Saturday afternoon.

Jenkins grew up in Norfolk and graduated from Georgia State University. She worked as an intern at Atlanta Magazine and CNN before joining the Virginian-Pilot in December 2020. “Sierra was a bright and talented woman with so much going for her," said Kris Worrell, editor-in-chief of Virginia Media, which operates the newspaper. "We are absolutely heartbroken.” Though she covered education, Jenkins was on call to cover breaking news, and an editor had been trying to reach her to cover the shooting, unaware she was one of the victims.

Schindel said bartenders had announced last call for drinks and turned up the lights at about 1:30am. An argument began outside as people started to leave, and shots rang out soon afterward, the newspaper reported. Norfolk police identified the other person killed as Devon M. Harris, 25, of Portsmouth. Another woman had a life-threatening gunshot wound, while two more men received gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening. Sierra Jenkins turned 25 only last weekend. She got her first apartment in Virginia Beach a month ago after having lived with family.

(More Norfolk stories.)

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