Police ID suspect accused of hookah lounge murder near Virginia Tech

Fraternal Order of Police VP: Crime spike needs ‘all hands on deck’ approach

Fraternal Order of Police National vice president Joe Gamaldi says politicians are ‘robbing’ urban communities of prosperous opportunities and safe streets

Police have identified the suspect accused of murdering one person and injuring four others in a shooting at a hookah lounge in Blacksburg, Virginia, late Friday night.

Following the deadly shooting, police said the shots were fired at downtown Blacksburg’s Melody Hookah Lounge on North Main Street, just a short walk from Virginia Tech’s campus.

(Blacksburg Police Department)

“The Blacksburg Police Department has obtained six felony warrants for 24 year old Jamel D. Flint of Roanoke, Virginia,” a statement from the Blackburg Police Department read.

Flint is charged with murder in the first degree for the homicide of 18-year-old Isiah O. Robinson, who was a student at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, as well as four counts of attempted murder in the first degree and one count of use of a firearm while committing or attempting to commit murder for the remaining four victims.

Shots were fired at the Melody Hookah Lounge, in downtown Blacksburg, Virginia, a short walk from Virginia Tech University’s campus, around midnight on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, Blacksburg Police said.
(WFXR)

Blacksburg Police stated Flint remains at large and is considered to be armed and dangerous.

Another one of the four individuals injured in the shooting is a student at Virginia Tech and is recovering, according to an update from Frank Shushok Jr., Vice President for Student Affairs at Virginia Tech.

“We have been in contact with his family, and they report their son is out of surgery, recovering, and seems to be doing well,” Shushok said in a statement, as reported by Charlottesville’s WVIR-TV. “We continue to respect the privacy of the student, and we are grateful for the outpouring of care and support directed to him.”

Melody Hookah Lounge, in downtown Blacksburg, Virginia, following the shooting around midnight on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022.
(WFXR)

The Blacksburg Police Department is asking anyone with knowledge about the shooting to contact (540) 443-1400. Anonymous phone calls can be made to the Blacksburg Police Tip Line at (540) 961-1819 or by emailing [email protected].

Fox News’ Paul Conner contributed to this article.

Source: Read Full Article