The Wrap: Flash flooding wreaks havoc, RPD investigates shooting of unarmed naked man, a “bamboozled” graduate, and bikes on trains

Photo: Dave Parrish Photography

The week in brief

Good afternoon, faithful Wrap readers. Hope you’re staying dry out there. The rain continues to fall (though as I write this, it looks like we’re getting a bit of a reprieve). So far, around five inches has fallen around the metro area since Wednesday, and there’s more to come through Saturday night. Flash flooding has been taking place all around town, with many roads completely submerged or washed out entirely. The West End has been hit especially hard, with Tuckahoe Creek flooding a pretty large area near Patterson Avenue and Lauderdale Drive near the Henrico/Goochland line. Several water rescues have also taken place, and schools in Henrico and Hanover remain closed due to the flooded roadways. Chesterfield will be letting students out early too, we’re told. Check out these incredible photos and videos of the floodingaround the area, and stay safe out there, y’all!

It’s not looking great for Riverrock or any of the other outdoor activities, at least through Saturday. Tonight’s Big Tent Concert with the Richmond Symphony has already been postponed. No word on changes to Riverrock, but the event features many sporting competitions in the James River, which will be at flood stage soon.

Police continue to investigate the fatal shooting of an unarmed naked man on Monday. RPD sources say 24-year-old Marcus-David L. Peters was involved in a hit and run near Monroe Park and fled the scene. He was pursued by officers and struck two vehicles on the I-95 on-ramp. Peters then allegedly exited the vehicle, without wearing any clothes, and reportedly charged towards officers on the scene. Police say they engaged him verbally, then used a taser, which apparently failed to deploy. With both of those methods proving ineffective, an unidentified officer drew his weapon and shot Peters. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died around midnight. Many questions remain surrounding this incident, and Richmond Police has vowed to release both the officer’s body cam footage and the officer’s name once the victim’s family has viewed the footage themselves.

The city has finally passed its $720 million biennial budget, and there are winners and losers. A big winner is Richmond Public Schools, which will receive a one-time windfall, and city employees, some of which will get a raise and all of which will gain some new benefits. The public art fund is one of several funds to see its budget slashed, however. We break it all down here.

You can finally take your bike with you on Amtrak trains out of Richmond! Amtrak and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation have teamed up for a pilot program for Main Street Station departures only (for now–sorry Staples Mill travelers). I’d love to try this out myself on my next trip! More here.

Shockoe Bottom residents, it looks like you won’t be living in a food desert after all. After Farm Fresh planned to close its store on E. Main Street, a Charlottesville grocer is swooping in and plans to keep the store open, with the same name but a few upgrades. Here’s what we know so far.

Today is International Museum Day! You can enjoy free admission to the VMFA, among other institutions, today, including to the museum’s new Napoleon exhibit. More on how to take advantage of this offer here.

One more shoutout to our VCU Capital News Service reporters, who have been doing great investigative work this semester. We have our final two stories of the year into two important subjects–a “bamboozled” student burned by a for-profit institution in our area, and the problems that arise for disabled people when people try to pass off pets as service animals at area businesses. Great work on these and all of the other in-depth subjects the team has reported on over the past months.

Five things to know

1. A new Legacy Wall was unveiled at Richmond Community Hospital, honoring 21 African Americans who helped found or open the hospital.
2. Got some extra time? You can help give Binford Middle School’s decrepit, run down bathrooms some TLC this weekend.
3. Work is getting underway on a new $119 million rehabilitation hospital just west of Short Pump.
4. You can comment on Henrico Schools’ plans through 2025 at an upcoming meeting.
5. A new generation is putting a brand new spin on a familiar Richmond brand–Adolf Jewlers–with Lustre by Adolf.