THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030405
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
Pressure from outraged neighbors of 3-year-old Taylor Ricks, killed by a stray bullet as she looked out a window of her home, persuaded two men and a teenager to give up Tuesday, police said.
Police thanked Berkley residents and callers to Crime Line for helping to speed the investigation of the Monday killing.
``We have had a great deal of cooperation from the community . . .,'' Assistant Chief Curtis Todd said. ``After a great deal of pressure from the community, they turned themselves in.''
Police said Taylor was playing with two sisters in a second-floor bedroom in their home in the 100 block of Hough St. Taylor raced to the window to see what she thought was fireworks.
What caught the girls' attention, officers said, was more than 15 gunshots. Three people were shooting at a fourth on nearby South Main Street. The gunmen scattered.
Taylor was hit in the head by one of the 15 gunshots and died in a hospital. No one else was hit.
On Tuesday, between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., the suspects walked into the Police Operations Center in the 3600 block of Virginia Beach Boulevard.
They were identified as Ronald Cooke, 20, of the 400 block of Pendleton St.; Darrell Smith, 23, of the 300 block of Fauquier St.; and a 17-year-old from the 3100 block of Westminister Ave.
Each was charged with murder, attempted murder and two counts of using a firearm in a felony. The two adults live in Berkley, while the teenager lives across the Elizabeth River in Chesterfield Heights.
They were being questioned late Tuesday and no bail had been set, police spokesman Larry Hill said. The lead investigators were Maureen Evans and Pat Dunn.
``We were able to identify the suspects, thanks to residents,'' Police Chief Melvin C. High said.
Todd said the shooting started after one of the suspects became upset that his girlfriend was moving into an apartment with another man.
The intended victim apparently was not armed and is not a suspect in Taylor's death, police said. He was not identified. Police said they were not looking for anyone else.
Police said all three suspects said they had no idea that Taylor was watching from a window during the shooting.
Police were still fielding calls, interviewing witnesses and looking for several handguns and a rifle, Todd said Tuesday.
The hunt for guns took police to the Lafayette River near the Virginia Zoological Park, where the shooters may have dumped their weapons. Early Tuesday afternoon, police divers made a discovery.
``They recovered some guns that may or may not be involved,'' Hill said.
The pain of Taylor's death lingered on Hough Street.
Talk of how a little girl's death reflects the community's cry for help spilled from living rooms to front lawns. Neighbors discussed how they could do more to help Berkley.
Pink and blue bows, stuffed rabbits, signs and banners adorned the Ricks family's white duplex. One banner on the porch read: ``The neighborhood still remembers you, Taylor Ricks.''
Several neighbors said they were relieved that the suspects had gone to police.
``It's good they know they made a mistake,'' said Krindolph Rodgers, who lives across the street from the Ricks. ``I'm glad this thing is kind of coming to a head.
``We definitely have to put a stop to this. That's a life gone, potential missing.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot
Tamara Johnson, 8, reads the notes of love and sadness left on the
porch of her friend and neighbor, Taylor Ricks, by residents of
Berkley.
B\W Photo
Darrell Smith, 23, left, and Ronald Cooke, 20, and a 17-year-old
were charged with murder and attempted murder.
KEYWORDS: SHOOTING MURDER JUVENILE ARREST by CNB