Commonwealth Times

Neighborhood residents and business owners have rallied to the defense of a VCU student and ice-cream shop clerk who police say shot and killed a man trying to rob the store.

Last week, Commonwealth Attorney Michael N. Herring referred to a grand jury the case involving David Fielding, a 21-year-old student in the School of the Arts. Herring asked the grand jury to decide whether Fielding should be indicted on a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm.

At about 9 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Baskin-Robbins store at 6940 Forest Hill Ave., Jerome Davis, 43, tried to rob the business, according to police reports. He carried what police later determined to be a BB gun.

Fielding, the store's shift manager, fired several times with a pistol, authorities said. Two of the shots struck Davis - one in the hand, the other in the back. Shots also hit a window, shattering glass. Davis, wounded, left the scene and was tracked later by a police K-9 team two blocks from the Baskin-Robbins. He was found in the yard of his home with cash that police think had been taken from the ice cream parlor. Davis died at VCU Medical Center.

Shell casings from Fielding's weapon were found both inside and outside the store. There is no indication that Davis used his BB gun.

It wasn't the first robbery of the store. Fielding had been on duty when another man robbed the store Aug. 14. Following that robbery, Fielding purchased a 9 mm handgun and took it with him to the store, investigators said.

The Baskin-Robbins shop is located in Stratford Hills, about 4.5 miles southwest of the Monroe Park Campus. The area has seen a five-fold increase in robberies this year, according to the community-news Web site HillsandHeights.net.

On the Web site, many residents have expressed support for Fielding, saying he acted in self-defense. They put their words into action by signing a petition asking Herring not to file charges against Fielding.

Richard Diggs started the petition and circulated it among Stratford Hills businesses. More than 500 people signed it. The petition was sent to Herring on Sept. 14.

Virginia law allows people to use deadly force in self-defense only when their safety is threatened.

Article Tools

Neighborhood residents and business owners have rallied to the defense of a VCU student and ice-cream shop clerk who police say shot and killed a man trying to rob the store.

Last week, Commonwealth Attorney Michael N. Herring referred to a grand jury the case involving David Fielding, a 21-year-old student in the School of the Arts. Herring asked the grand jury to decide whether Fielding should be indicted on a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm.

At about 9 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Baskin-Robbins store at 6940 Forest Hill Ave., Jerome Davis, 43, tried to rob the business, according to police reports. He carried what police later determined to be a BB gun.

Fielding, the store's shift manager, fired several times with a pistol, authorities said. Two of the shots struck Davis - one in the hand, the other in the back. Shots also hit a window, shattering glass. Davis, wounded, left the scene and was tracked later by a police K-9 team two blocks from the Baskin-Robbins. He was found in the yard of his home with cash that police think had been taken from the ice cream parlor. Davis died at VCU Medical Center.

Shell casings from Fielding's weapon were found both inside and outside the store. There is no indication that Davis used his BB gun.

It wasn't the first robbery of the store. Fielding had been on duty when another man robbed the store Aug. 14. Following that robbery, Fielding purchased a 9 mm handgun and took it with him to the store, investigators said.

The Baskin-Robbins shop is located in Stratford Hills, about 4.5 miles southwest of the Monroe Park Campus. The area has seen a five-fold increase in robberies this year, according to the community-news Web site HillsandHeights.net.

On the Web site, many residents have expressed support for Fielding, saying he acted in self-defense. They put their words into action by signing a petition asking Herring not to file charges against Fielding.

Richard Diggs started the petition and circulated it among Stratford Hills businesses. More than 500 people signed it. The petition was sent to Herring on Sept. 14.

Virginia law allows people to use deadly force in self-defense only when their safety is threatened.

Article Tools