Nicholson Shooter Arrested Amid Student Safety Concerns
Save Email Print
Updated: 12:54 AM Nov 15, 2008
Nicholson Shooter Arrested Amid Student Safety Concerns
Harrisonburg, Va.
The Harrisonburg Police Department says it has arrested the person they believe shot 19-year-old Reginald "Shay" Nicholson early Sunday morning.
Posted: 2:43 PM Nov 14, 2008
width:200 and height: 138 and picwidth: 200 and pciheight: 138
Font Size:

The Harrisonburg Police Department says it has arrested the person they believe shot 19-year-old Reginald "Shay" Nicholson early Sunday morning.

They haven't released his mugshot yet due to the ongoing investigation, but an 18-year-old Charlottesville man, Zackery Turner, faces four charges. He has been charged with aggravated malicious wounding, use or display of a firearm in commission of a felony, reckless handling of a firearm, and discharge of a firearm in or around a school.

Turner was arrested mid-morning Friday by Charlottesville police. Harrisonburg Police say additional charges are pending against Turner and they also say a fifth arrest is pending in this case.

On Thursday, three Ruckersville men were arrested in connection with this case. Greogry Baker and Demonds Parrish both face charges of assault and battery by mob and gang participation. Jahmaine Faqiri faces those charges as well as one charge of brandishing a firearm. All three are scheduled to appear in Harrisonburg/Rockingham General District Court on December 16.

Nicholson remains in critical condition at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Friends of Nicholson are organizing a vigil for him Saturday evening in Staunton at Gypsy Hill Park.

Although four arrests have been made, gang activity remains an issue at the Hunters Ridge apartments and other parts of Harrisonburg. JMU senior Heather Rose says safety has long been a concern.

"It definitely doesn't make me feel safe," says Rose. "I pay attention to people a lot more. I know it's not great to classify people as gang members. But when I see people I think, 'Could they be in a gang?' And, you just don't know."

Sophomore R. J. Curry recalls his own troubling experience with unwanted people showing up to his home.

"Probably five or six people we didn't know just walked into our house. Just started being kind of shady. So, we just asked them to leave. They were trying to fight when we asked them to leave and everything," says Curry. "I guess sometimes people prey on all the college students."

The way Ryan Olexson describes it, you just learn to recognize trouble.

"If people aren't from around here, you can usually tell by their clothing and how they just stand against the wall and, kind of, look around," says Olexson. "That's usually when you know its time to leave."

Marsha Garst, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, says the injuries in Sunday's shooting are the worst she's seen in a gang-related case.

"This is a tragic, tragic case," says Garst. "And I hope, it will be an anomaly for this area. And I think there's a lot of things that can be done through safety measures taken by students and by community members about who is let into parties, who is let into their homes."

Anomaly or not, some students say the recent violence has them looking for somewhere else to live.

"I'm actually considering moving," says Olexson. "It's that scary."

Recognizing students' concerns about safety, JMU police are offering advice to people living in off-campus housing complexes.

Police sent out an e-mail notice to students Thursday about personal safety. They're encouraging students to create guest lists and stay aware of the people coming into their homes. They also point out that students can register parties with the police department ahead of time.

University spokesperson Don Egle says they are trying to "make sure that we provide as many options to students as possible, as many tips, as many ideas as we can to make sure the students have the resources necessary to stay safe."


Latest Comments

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Staunton on Dec 16, 2008 at 08:15 PM

To "Diamond" you have NO idea how many lifes your cousins affected. They are very dangerous people.Personally i believe they don't need to be freed they deserve the chair. on November 9 they hurt and shot somebody this community loved dearly. On Nov 21 he died. Because your COUSIN helped in hurting him. Shay will be FOREVER missed. You or your cousins just don't realize. EVERYBODy misses him so much. Please think about what you say before you say it cause your comment came off VERY disresectful.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 at 05:49 PM

To "Diamond"-these guys murdered a young life. Parents are grieving, friends are shocked. THEIR LIVES SHOULD BE GIVEN UP IN THE CHAIR. I don't care if they were in a gang or at a tea party!
Posted by: Sara Location: Waynesboro on Nov 19, 2008 at 05:29 PM

I think that the guys who were involved need to have justice served there is no getting out of things that you did wrong. If it was the other way around I'm sure that there families would want to see justice served.Gang, mob or no gang,mob nobody deserves to be shot.All 5 of the guys will deserve everything that happens to them and no there is no feeling sorry for them feel sorry for the victim who is suffering
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
National AP Video