Connect with us

Local

Lesbian couple shot and killed trying to aid pregnant daughter

Norfolk Virginia Police report that Lovewine and Brown ran outside to render aid when they were shot and killed

Published

on

Nicole Lovewine and her partner, Detra Brown. (Screen capture via CBS3 WTKR Norfolk, VA)

NORFOLK, Va. — What started as an ordinary Wednesday night in Norfolk, Virginia, turned to tragedy when a gunman shot five women, killing three and injuring two. Among the victims was a lesbian couple attempting to save their teenage daughter. 

Nicole Lovewine, 45, and her partner, Detra Brown, 42, were enjoying an evening with friends after coming home from work when the shooting took place, reports The Virginian-Pilot. As they spoke with other adults, approximately a dozen children played nearby, some using a trampoline that Lovewine had bought after a nearby recreation center shut down.

Then, at around 6 p.m., a car pulled up. The newspaper reports that the rear door swung open and Lovewine’s 19-year-old daughter, who was pregnant, jumped out. Shortly after, a man — Ziontay Palmer, 19 — reportedly exited from the passenger side. That’s when shots were fired.

When the shooting stopped, Lovewine and Brown — as well as 44-year-old Sara Costine — were dead. Lovewine’s daughter and a 39-year-old woman were injured and taken to the hospital. Both are expected to recover, according to the newspaper. 

Police report that Lovewine and Brown ran outside to render aid when they were shot and killed by Palmer. 

ā€œAs the community was trying to render aid, this coward shoots them,ā€ said Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone, per 13 News Now

ā€œWe need to start speaking up because this, I’ve never seen this in my 30 years career — five women shot at one time,ā€ he said. 

Palmer, who was in a relationship with Lovewine’s daughter, is now in police custody, charged with three counts of second-degree murder, two counts of malicious wounding and several firearm charges. He is being held without bond after his arraignment Thursday in Norfolk General District Court.

Boone adds that police believe this was a domestic issue. 

Robin Gauthier, executive director of Samaritan House, a domestic violence support group, told the 13 News Now that she was surprised to see bystanders get hurt, as she’s rarely seen that happen in her 20 years helping domestic violence victims. 

ā€œJust a real disturbing trend that the bystanders are also getting hurt or killed,ā€ she said. ā€œIt concerns me because people aren’t going to want to help the victims if they are in danger.ā€

ā€œThis is an epidemic and we have to pay attention to our African American women,ā€ Gauthier said. ā€œThis is serious. They’re getting killed.ā€

Lovewine leaves behind four children, three boys and a girl, according to WTKR. The community is grieving the losses of the three who died. 

ā€œThey loved to dance,ā€ Burt McManus — bartender and manager at 37th & Zen, where the couple were regulars — told the news station. ā€œThat’s what I really loved about them. They would love to come and sing karaoke. They came out every Wednesday, like our shrimp night. They were just a big part of our community.ā€

ā€œI can see them rushing to the scene, probably, even if it wasn’t her daughter because that’s who they were. If something’s happening, they’re going to go see what’s up,ā€ McManus said.

Friends and family came together Friday for a candlelight vigil and balloon release, according to 13 News Now.

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

District of Columbia

Bowser: No credible threats to D.C. Pride events

Mayor spoke with the Blade after flag-raising ceremony at the Wilson Building

Published

on

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the flag-raising of the Progress Pride flag at the Wilson Building in D.C. on June 1, 2023. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday said authorities have not received any credible threats to upcoming Pride events.

“We don’t have any to report,” she told the Washington Blade.

“MPD is constantly working with all of our agencies to make sure we have safe special events and we’re going to keep going with our planning, like we do every year,” added Bowser. “There’s always a scan for any threats to the District.”

Bowser spoke with the Blade after she joined D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, Council members Anita Bonds, Charles Allen, Kenyon McDuffie and Zachary Parker, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, D.C. Mayor’s LGBTQ Affairs Office Director Japer Bowles and other officials and activists in raising the Progress Pride flag in front of the Wilson Building.

The Blade last month reported D.C. police are investigating a bomb threat a Twitter user made against the annual District Pride concert that will take place at the Lincoln Theater on June 29. Bowles in a May 19 statement said his office reported the tweet, but further stressed that “no credible threat at this time has been made.”

Continue Reading

Maryland

Moore issues Pride month proclamation

Governor on May 3 signed Trans Health Equity Act

Published

on

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (Public domain photo/Twitter)

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday proclaimed June as Pride month in recognition of  ā€œthe contributions, resilience, courage and joy of LGBTQIA+ Marylanders,ā€ according to a press release.

ā€œIn Maryland, we lead with love and inclusion. I want everyone in our LGBTQIA+ community to know that they deserve to be seen for who they are, and our administration will stand with them in the fight for equality and equity,ā€ Moore said. ā€œWe need to elevate the stories, embrace the courage, and celebrate the humanity of our LGBTQIA+ community — and as long as I am governor, we will take the steps forward to protect and celebrate all Marylanders.ā€

Moore on March 31 became the first governor in Maryland history to recognize the Transgender Day of Visibility and last month he signed into law the Trans Health Equity Act into law, which requires Maryland Medicaid to provide coverage for gender-affirming care beginning next year.

ā€œThis month is a celebration of the beauty and uniqueness of the queer community, but it’s also a time to reaffirm our commitment to uplifting LGBTQIA+ Marylanders and continuing to fight against hatred, discrimination, and bigotry,ā€ Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller said in the same press release that Moore’s office released. ā€œLGBTQIA+ Marylanders deserve to be who they are, to live their pride — without fear or having to hide. This administration will always stand alongside and protect the rights of all Marylanders.ā€

Continue Reading

District of Columbia

Point Foundation offers growing range of scholarships, support

ā€˜Resources to succeed and thrive rather than just make it through’

Published

on

Celina Gerbic, a member of the Point Foundation’s board of directors, speaks at last year’s event. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Many in D.C. know the Point Foundation for its longstanding scholarship program and its popular Taste of Point fundraiser each spring. But the nonprofit is offering a growing range of services to its young scholars, including mental health resources and social media support.

This year’s Taste of Point brought mixologists, restaurateurs, and donors together on May 3 at Room and Board for the annual celebration. With a number of local businesses and organizations donating to the silent auction, the event both raised money for Point Foundation’s scholarships while recognizing scholarship recipients and program alumni.

Among the lineup of featured speakers was one of the foundation’s flagship scholarship recipients, Rio Dennis, a dual master’s and law candidate at Georgetown University.

ā€œI applied for the Point Foundation Flagship Scholarship because I believed in its mission of helping LGBTQ+ students achieve their academic goals while also providing training and resources so we can become better leaders within the LGBTQ community during school and long term,ā€ Dennis said in her speech. 

The Taste of Point celebration began in 2013, born from another event called the Cornerstone Reception. Originally planned as a normal fundraiser with hor d’oeuvres, the foundation transformed it into the current Taste of Point celebration that facilitates partnerships with new, local restaurants.

Some restaurants, like Compass Rose and Hank’s Oyster Bar, partnered with Point Foundation for their first celebration. They have been catering at the fundraiser ever since.

ā€œIt really gives you the sense of the amount of love and the amount of community that we have around the Point Foundation and mission,ā€ said Celina Gerbic, a member on the foundation’s board of directors. ā€œThey really see, with hearing from the scholars, what the effects can be if we’re raising money for those scholarships and mentoring opportunities.ā€

The event also allows the foundation to showcase new offerings, such as the Community College Scholarship that was rolled out just before the pandemic in collaboration with Wells Fargo. The community college program gives scholars a financial scholarship each year of their community college experience as well as coaching and admissions counseling for students planning to transfer to a university. 

Meanwhile, the foundation is also expanding its new BIPOC scholarship, which announced its next round of recipients on May 22. The scholarship is currently supporting between 500 and 555 scholars across the country.

Omari Foote, one of the current BIPOC scholarship recipients, appreciates how the scholarship recognizes her as a Black queer student. She is even encouraging other queer students and friends to apply to receive similar assistance.

However, Point is even more than that, Dennis notes. 

Before the school year started, the Point Foundation sent Dennis and all of the new flagship scholars to Los Angeles for a leadership development conference. Scholars discussed how to become active leaders on campus, how to ask for certain resources, what is offered by their campuses, and what tutoring programs are available.

This year, Point also did a joint partnership with an online therapy program to offer discounted prices for all scholars. 

ā€œI have anxiety and depression and I struggled a lot in undergrad with trying to balance that with my having to support myself financially,ā€ Dennis said. ā€œSo I was definitely grateful that Georgetown did have a program that is specifically for people of color to get free therapy and Point definitely helped with… asking those questions because it is one of those programs that isn’t as well publicized.ā€

Point even provided Dennis with a mentor who was also a Point Scholar in law school. Meeting monthly on Zoom and texting all throughout the month, Dennis’s mentor provides academic support that helps her use the right resources and make decisions about her career.

Foote finds the scholarship unique in other ways as well. As a recipient of a handful of other scholarships outside of Point, Foote’s interactions with her scholarship programs mostly stop after they send instructions for writing donor thank you notes. But Point keeps reaching out to maintain a relationship with scholars long after that.

ā€œThey’ve reached out to me to spotlight me on Instagram,ā€ Foote said. ā€œThey reached out to me even for this dinner, paying for my transportation to and from the dinner … It’s like they’re not just there to give you the money. They’re there to really help you navigate the college world and to be that caring supportive system that a lot of us just don’t have anymore now that we are living by ourselves.ā€

Last November, the foundation also held an Out in Higher Ed Week, wherein they teach scholars how to be LGBTQ+ advocates on campus. These resources help students navigate the ins and outs of discussing LGBTQ+ issues in university settings.

After graduation, Dennis has even thought about returning to the Point Foundation as a mentor to help future Black queer students, especially first generation law students, balance their mental health and financial situations.

ā€œPoint has connected me with fellow scholars who have become my friends. Point has provided me with resources and support to succeed and thrive rather than just make it through,ā€ Dennis said. ā€œI definitely plan on continuing to be involved with Point.ā€

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Sign Up for Weekly E-Blast

Follow Us @washblade

Advertisement

Popular