A woman was shot outside the Republican Party of Virginia’s headquarters in downtown Richmond on Thursday afternoon after a woman inside a nearby hair salon allegedly fired shots during a dispute with a man, police said.
The shooting happened around 1:45 p.m. on Oct. 29 in front of the Obenshain Center, located at 115 E. Grace St., where the state Republican Party is based. Richmond police officers responded to the scene within minutes.
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said authorities believe the woman who was shot was an innocent bystander. She was taken to a hospital and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, he said.
According to Edwards, a woman inside a hair salon across the street told police that a man with whom she had an ongoing dispute entered the business and that she fired shots in self-defense. The woman remains in custody.
The woman who was shot had been speaking with 2 people at a booth outside the Republican Party headquarters when she was struck. The booth was not affiliated with the party, according to Frank Loehr, the party’s chief financial officer.
Loehr said the injured woman was brought inside the party’s offices, where staff members helped her while waiting for emergency responders. She was conscious and appeared to have been shot in the shoulder.
Police believe the man involved in the dispute may also have been shot, based on blood found at the scene. Edwards urged him to come forward so he could receive medical care and speak with detectives.
The Republican Party of Virginia confirmed that all its staff members were safe and said there was no indication the shooting was connected to the party’s activities.
“The proximity of this event notwithstanding, we have no indication that the shooting was related to the operations of the Republican Party of Virginia,” the party said in a statement.
The sidewalk and entrance outside the Obenshain Center were blocked off with caution tape as emergency crews responded. Virginia Commonwealth University also issued an alert to its community following the shooting.
Police said the shooting was unrelated to the upcoming midterm elections. The investigation remains ongoing.