A woman was reportedly shot in front of the office of the Virginia Republican Party headquarters on Thursday. The shooting is believed to be unrelated to the party’s operations.
Early Thursday afternoon, activity on X reported on a possible shooting at the Obenshain Center, where the party’s headquarters is located. The state party posted an update at 2:28 p.m.:
“Around 1:45 p.m. today, a woman was shot immediately in front of The Obenshain Center, the offices of the Republican Party of Virginia. City of Richmond first responders were at the scene within minutes. All Republican Party of Virginia staff are safe,” the party’s update reads. “The proximity of this event notwithstanding, we have no indication that the shooting was related to the operations of the Republican Party of Virginia.”
WAVY-TV reported on the incident and spoke with Frank Loehr, a party official, who told reporters he and other staffers were working inside the office when shots rang out outside.
The outlet said a woman who had been speaking with two people who had a booth outside the building was brought inside the office bleeding after being shot. The booth was not affiliated with the party.
“I was shook up, and I’m still a little shook up,” Loehr told the TV outlet.
The woman was reported to have been shot in her shoulder. No update has been provided on her condition.
The incident is notable given comments of Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones that surfaced during his 2025 campaign.
Jones, a Democrat, fantasized about shooting former Republican state House Speaker Todd Gilbert, texting a colleague that if he were faced with a “hypothetical situation in which he had only two bullets and was faced with the choice of murdering” either Gilbert or “two dictators,” he would pick Gilbert to shoot.
Follow Matt Mercer on X: @mattmercer.
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