Police in Alexandria, Virginia, say they believe the recent murder of a 23-year-old man was in retaliation for another killing last month.
Saquan Hall, 23, was gunned down in the 1000 block of First Street early Saturday morning. Three weeks before Saquan was killed, another young man, Pierre Clark, was shot to death in broad daylight.
Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook said police have obtained an arrest warrant for a suspect in Hall's murder. Cook said the suspect knew the victim and both Hall and Clark's murders were committed by two feuding groups.
"I'm assuming that he had something that he wanted to do against this person. That's why he committed the act," Cook said of the suspect in Hall's murder.
Hundreds of residents packed a community gym Wednesday night for a public meeting about the recent murders.
Many expressed their anger over the cycle of violence, some saying they felt disconnected from police officers.
"I don't want Saquan's death to be in vain. It means a lot to me to see the violence stop. When is it gonna stop? When are we as a people going to step forward and say what we saw?," said Saquan's mother, Patrice Hall.
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Hall previously said police had told her that her son was a suspect in Clark's death. And though Saquan was never charged, she believes that he was targeted for retaliation.
