Norfolk, Va. - ODU Junior Jerica Carmichael was shot in the back over the weekend near campus.
Her roommate, also an Old Dominion student, chose not to show her face or give her name but wanted to take action and share what she witnessed that night. And, because of that Norfolk Police may have a new lead in the case.
"When I turned around, literally I'm looking at him,” she says. “He's on the other side of 43rd with the gun in the air shooting still.”
The shooter is still on the run. To help catch those involved, police released surveillance footage from ODU cameras. In the two clips you see the same group of young men before and after the shooting.
At this time, police say no one in the video has been labeled a suspect.
But, Carmichael's roommate says she's certain the gunman is in that video.
“That, that was the shooter,” says Carmichael’s roommate, pointing out the suspect to NewsChannel 3 as she watches the surveillance video. “The first guy in the red shirt; that was the exact same description I gave police.”
In the first clip, the group is seen walking down Killam Avenue and 41st Street. In the second clip, about eight minutes later and after the shooting, you see the group running down 45th Street.
Jerica Carmichael said she had left a friend’s house when she saw a group of men arguing. Then, she heard gunshots.
“All I remember is seeing the sparks of the gun when he first started shooting and then I ran,” she said.
Carmichael was taken to Sentara Norfolk and remained there for about six hours.
She wasn't seriously hurt. Emotionally though, she says the video is hard to watch.
"What's going through my mind right now as I watch is I really think that it's them,” Carmichael says. “I really think that this is them."
"I really want them to catch the guy,” Carmichael’s roommate says. “They shot my roommate. She didn't do anything; she had nothing to do with it.”
Police say detecives will follow up on the information from Carmichael's roommate during her interview with NewsChannel 3.
Investigators are also asking that if you recognize the people in the surveillance footage to please come forward.
If you can identify anyone in either video, please call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. The people in the video are not considered suspects, but police are hoping they have information that could help them in this case.
Related:
ODU student: ‘All I remember is seeing the sparks of the gun when he first started shooting’
