Police charge man in Pine Street shooting death of 4-year-old

Published 7:14 am Monday, September 26, 2022

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Editor’s note: This story has been updated at 11:26 a.m., Monday, Sept. 26 with details released by police on the arrest of a suspect in the shooting.

A Suffolk man has been arrested in connection with the Sunday night shooting death of a 4-year-old boy.

Suffolk Police arrested Antonio Lonnel Melton, 38, of Suffolk on charges of second degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a violent felon and a felony charge of reckless handling of a firearm. 

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Suffolk Police responded to a call of a shooting involving a 4-year-old in the 200 block of Pine Street that was received by the city’s 911 center at 9:01 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 25, according to a news release. 

Suffolk Fire and EMS treated the child on scene and then transported the 4-year-old to a local hospital. The child was pronounced deceased at the hospital. 

Police announced Melton’s arrest Monday morning and said he is being held in the Western Tidewater Regional Jail. 

The investigation remains ongoing at this time, and there is no further information available for release.

If anyone has information regarding this incident, please contact Suffolk Police or Suffolk Crime Line.  To submit online, go to www.p3tips.com, visit the Suffolk Police Department website (www.suffolkva.us/spd) and look for the Suffolk Crime Line link, or go to the Suffolk Police Department Facebook page at www.facebook.com/suffolkpolicedepartment. You can also call 888-LOCK-U-UP, 1-888-562-5887, Option 5. Once a person submits a tip, they will be given a TIP ID and password. With this information they can login at p3tips.com and submit follow-up information, engage in two-way dialogue, be informed of the outcome of the tip, and access any pertinent reward information.