Norfolk State University Senior Semaj Richelle Coleman Dies at 22 Following Accidental Parking Lot Shooting in Norfolk, Virginia
Semaj Richelle Coleman, a 22-year-old Norfolk State University senior studying Health Services Management, died at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital after an accidental parking lot shooting on Saturday night, October 24, 2026.
Officers responded to the hospital around 11:45 p.m. after Coleman sustained a gunshot wound in the 5700 block of East Virginia Beach Boulevard.
Coleman came from Mollusk, a small Lancaster County community on Virginia’s Northern Neck, and was nearing completion of a degree.
Coleman participated in the Spartans Promise to Persist with Purpose program and had recently joined the National Association for Allied Health Professions.
Fellow students remembered Coleman as bright and caring, while university officials described the senior as an active member of the Spartan community.
Authorities charged a 23-year-old Newport News resident with involuntary manslaughter and related charges as the investigation continues.
Norfolk State University made counseling and support available to students, faculty, and staff and reported no known threat to campus following the off-campus incident.
Coleman’s family and university community mourn a deeply valued daughter, sibling, grandchild, relative, friend, and student.
Related