Local Government

Families receive portraits of victims of Virginia Beach Oceanfront shootings

WHRO

Published April 5, 2022 at 3:31 PM EDT

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Photo by Paul Bibeau. Wayne Lynch, father of Donovon Lynch, and Elisheba Harris, mother of Deshayla Harris, hold portraits of their children. Donovon Lynch and Deshayla Harris died in shootings at the Oceanfront last year.

http://assets.whro.org/vbportraitsweb.mp3

Deshayla Harris and Donovon Lynch were the two young victims of fatal shootings that occured the night of March 26 last year at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Authorities and people in the community are still at odds over what exactly happened.

The deaths of Harris and Lynch put pressure on the city to strengthen its civilian oversight of the police.

The ViBe District raised funds from private donors to commission portraits of Harris and Lynch.

Wayne Lynch, father of Donovon Lynch, holds a portrait of his son. Norfolk artist Clayton Singleton painted it. A Virginia Beach police officer shot and killed Lynch. The officer who shot Lynch didn't have his body camera on during the incident and the family disputes several of the facts police have publicly shared. Since then, the Lynch family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and the officer who shot him. Lynch's cousin, musician Pharrell Williams, pulled out his Something in the Water festival in the aftermath of the incidents.