Grand Jury Indicts Two More Suspects in Fatal Shockoe Bottom Mass Shooting Investigation

Richmond police have charged Antoine Hockaday II and Xavier Thomas following grand jury indictments in the February double homicide in Shockoe Bottom.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 18, 2026, 6:14 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from the Richmond Times-Dispatch

The Expansion of the Double Homicide Inquiry

The investigation into a violent mass shooting in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom district has resulted in new charges against two additional suspects following grand jury indictments. Antoine Hockaday II, a 27-year-old resident of Henrico County, turned himself in to authorities at the Richmond Justice Center on April 10. Simultaneously, 27-year-old Xavier Thomas of Petersburg was apprehended by law enforcement in a regional jurisdiction on April 15, marking a significant widening of the legal proceedings surrounding the February incident.

Specific Charges and Judicial Status

The nature of the allegations against the two men differs based on their suspected involvement in the aftermath and circumstances of the shooting. Hockaday faces a charge of accessory after the fact in a murder, suggesting a role in assisting others involved in the killings. Thomas, conversely, has been charged with the possession of a firearm by a non-violent felon. These developments bring the total number of individuals charged in the case to at least four, following the arrests of two other wounded suspects in March.

The Chaotic Scene on North 18th Street

The criminal case stems from a high-intensity confrontation that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, February 21. A Richmond Police Department officer patrolling the 00-block of North 18th Street witnessed a large crowd engaged in volatile disputes at approximately 2:47 a.m. As the officer moved to intervene, gunfire erupted, creating a mass casualty scene that required a massive deployment of emergency resources to manage the multiple victims and a panicked crowd.