A 22-year-old Norfolk State University student has died after being shot in a parking lot in Norfolk, Virginia, late Saturday night, prompting an investigation and renewed grief across the university community.
The victim, identified as Semaj Richelle Coleman, was a senior majoring in Health Services Management at Norfolk State University. Police said the shooting occurred in a parking lot in the 5700 block of East Virginia Beach Boulevard.
Officers were notified after Coleman arrived at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital at approximately 11:45 p.m. Saturday with a life-threatening gunshot wound. She later died from her injuries.
Man arrested in connection with shooting
Authorities took a 23-year-old man, identified as Matthew B. Croslin of Newport News, into custody at the scene. He has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless handling of a firearm.
According to the Norfolk Police Department, the preliminary investigation indicates that the shooting was accidental. Investigators have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the gunfire.
Croslin is being held at the Norfolk City Jail without bond as the case proceeds. The investigation remains ongoing, and the charges against him have not been adjudicated in court.
Norfolk State University mourns student
Coleman’s death has left classmates, faculty members and others in the Norfolk State community grieving the loss of a student whose academic journey was cut short.
The university described her death as a deeply painful loss for the Spartan community and extended condolences to her family, friends, classmates and everyone who knew her.
Coleman was affiliated with the university’s Spartans Promise to Persist program and had recently been inducted into the National Association for Allied Health Professions, according to university officials.
The school said counseling and support services were being made available to students, faculty and staff affected by the tragedy.
Police continue investigation
Norfolk police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the shooting and have not announced additional details beyond the preliminary findings and charges.
The case underscores the devastating consequences that a firearm incident can have, even when investigators believe the shooting was unintentional. For Coleman’s loved ones and the university community, the immediate focus remains on mourning her death and supporting those affected.
As the investigation continues, authorities may release further information when it becomes available.
This report concerns the fatal shooting of Semaj Richelle Coleman in Norfolk, Virginia, late Saturday, October 24, 2026. It is separate from other recent shooting investigations in the city.
