NORFOLK, Va. — The man facing a gun possession charge in connection to the double-fatal shooting at Old Dominion University last month told WTKR News 3's Jay Greene from jail that he fired shots, but is not sure whether he hit someone.
Dequan Tyler, 27, of Norfolk, was at ODU on Feb. 26, he says, because he was protecting his nephew, Delanio Vick Jr., 18, who was killed that night.
According to the Vick family, Vick Jr. had come to campus after he heard his mother, an Aramark employee who works at the dining hall, was punched by a colleague. Tyler says he went to ODU to pick up his nephew when the shooting transpired.
Watch: Family says suspect arrested in ODU shooting is being portrayed unfairly
Vick Jr., and 20-year-old Timothy Williams Jr. were shot in a parking lot near the Broderick Dining Hall. Neither were ODU students, and both died later at the hospital, police said.
When announcing the charges against Tyler on Wednesday, Norfolk police didn't elaborate on the role they believe he played in the shooting. However, when speaking with WTKR News 3 's Jay Greene Thursday, Tyler said police are accusing him of shooting Williams Jr. He admits to firing shots but says it was an act of defense, claiming that Williams Jr. is the person who shot and killed his nephew.
Tyler claims he used his firearm in an effort to deter the person shooting at Vick Jr.
"I was just shooting to stop him from shooting," said Tyler. "I shot probably like two, maybe three times. Once I shot, he, the dude, tried to turn around and run and then he fell."
Watch: Two dead after shooting on ODU's campus
He said amid all the chaos, he wasn't sure if he had hit someone or not.
"You don't know whether you actually struck somebody or not?" News 3's Jay Greene asked, to which Tyler responded, "I don't know, I was at a distance."
Since Tyler is being held without bond, he won't be able to attend his nephew's funeral this weekend. He said he felt like he was left with no choice in the situation and did what he had to do to protect his family.
"I wasn't just out shooting people. I was defending my nephew. I was protecting my life, my nephew's life, and my brother... Nobody from our side shot at them first, they shot at my nephew first. They killed my nephew," he shared, later adding, "I didn't murder anybody. I protected my family from somebody who was murdering my family."
Tyler's account of what happened corroborates with what Vick Jr.'s father, Delanio Vick Sr., previously told WTKR News 3. He spoke with WTKR News 3's Erika Craven just a few days after losing his son.
"[Tyler] witnessed this person shooting my son several times, and he tried to defend his nephew from being murdered," Vick Sr. explained.
Vick Sr. also shared concerns about ODU police's response that night: He claims officers responded to the dispute between Vick Jr.'s mother and her coworker prior to the shooting.
"My son called me and told me the police were up there and hope that they would do their job and take the person away and they didn't," said Vick Sr. "They left the person there knowing it was a violent situation."
Police say Tyler is facing other charges unrelated to the February shooting. The Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office says the investigation continues into whether the evidence warrants additional charges in the ODU case.
