By Diana McFarland

Editor

A Smithfield man is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death Desmond Smith, 20, at 7-Eleven. 

Rojawn Orlander Warren, 19, of the 16000 block of West Byron Drive in Smithfield was also charged with use of a firearm while committing a felony and shooting a gun in a building, according to the Smithfield Police. 

Warren is being held without bond in Western Tidewater Regional Jail. 

The two men began physically fighting inside the 7-Eleven on West Main Street on the night of Nov. 13, said Smithfield Police Deputy Chief Matthew Rogers. {mprestriction ids=”1,2,3,4,5,6″”}

During the fistfight, the suspect pulled out a gun and started shooting inside the store, said Rogers. 

The suspect chased Smith outside the store, where he was fatally shot and died at the scene, said Rogers.

Why the two men, who apparently knew each other, began fighting is unknown, said Rogers, adding that Smith was unarmed. 

“He (Warren) clammed up as soon as we got him in custody,” said Rogers. 

There were people inside the store and pumping gas at the time, said Rogers, adding that police are trying to piece together the crime through witness accounts. 

It is also unknown at this time exactly how many shots were fired, but Smith did receive multiple gunshot wounds, according to Rogers.  

Warren turned himself in on Friday

The last shooting death in Smithfield was in late December 2017, where a Smithfield High School student was killed during a drug deal gone bad at the Dollar General on South Church Street.  {/mprestriction}