Commonwealth's Attorney

[DECEMBER 15, 2023 – NEWPORT NEWS] — Today Deja Nicole Taylor was sentenced in connection with the January 6, 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News.

After hearing arguments and evidence, and considering the Pre-sentence report, victim-impact testimony, and a Guardian Ad Litem report, the Judge found that the circumstances of the shooting justified exceeding the state sentencing guidelines high-end recommendation of six months active jail time. Taylor was sentenced to 5 years with 3 years suspended, plus 2 years supervised probation which must include substance abuse treatment, parenting classes, and mental health treatment. This is in addition to the twenty-one months of active prison time Taylor will serve for her Federal convictions. The two sentences must be served consecutively.

The investigation into the January 6, 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary is still ongoing. Because this remains an active investigation, this office will not respond to media requests for comment.