A lesbian couple, Nicole Lovewine, 45, and Detra Brown, 42, were two of the three victims in a shooting in Norfolk, Virginia on November 3rd. The assailant was the boyfriend of Lovewine’s 19-year-old daughter, who was also injured in the shooting. The two were enjoying spending time with friends after work when Lovewine’s daughter and her boyfriend pulled up to the couples home at 6 p.m.
Lovewine’s daughter, who was pregnant at the time, exited from the backseat of the car and her 19-year-old boyfriend, Ziontay Brian Ricardo Palmer, exited from the passenger seat.
According to the local TV station WKTR he shot the young woman in the shoulder as she exited the vehicle, and then she ran into the house as Lovewine and Brown came to her aide to protect her. Palmer then shot Brown and Lovewine point blank, before shooting and killing a thirty-nine-year-old mother Sa’idah Costine. A neighbor who raced to help the victims was also shot by Palmer.
Witnesses told The Virginian-Pilot that Lovewine’s young son ran up to his mother’s body after she was shot and “begged” her to get up. Lovewine left behind three sons, and her aforementioned teenaged daughter. The daughter and the neighbor were rushed to the hospital and are reported to recover from their injuries.
According to The Virginia Pilot, a little more than four hours later, police had a suspect in custody: 19-year-old Ziontay Brian Ricardo Palmer of Virginia Beach. Palmer has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder, several firearm charges, and two counts of malicious wounding in connection to the shooting. Currently, no motive has been mentioned by police officials.
Now, the community of Young Terrance remember Lovewine and Brown as the fun-loving couple they were, hailing Lovewine as a hero.
Lovewine’s sister, Tina McPherson, told The Virginian-Pilot that Palmer "put a stain on this family that can never be washed-he hurt us to the core.” She then added, “I’m going to miss those days. I’m going to miss those days, but they’ll always be in my heart. I have good memories to look back at.”
Norfolk Police Chief, Larry Boone, said in the press release that the tragedy, "shook" him to his core. "I can only imagine what it did to those kids."
Lovewine is remembered as a "sweet girl" by neighbors, and never being seen without Brown.
"When you see Nicole, you see Dee; they were always together wherever they went. When they left out in the morning to go to work they were together, when they came home from work."
The owner of Old Hershee Bar, Annette Stone, shared fond memories of the two, as they were regulars, often seen there.
"I think they should be an example of how you should partner and how you should live your best life. I think there is a trail of broken hearts."
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Lovewine's mother to help with funeral costs.