Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years Following Jury Conviction of Attempted Malicious Wounding for Shooting at Family Outside Their Norfolk Home in 2023

NORFOLK, Va. — Terence Artavian Welker Jr., 21, was sentenced on Thursday to serve four years and eight months in prison after a jury convicted him of attempted malicious wounding and using a firearm to attempt malicious wounding for shooting at a group of brothers outside their mother’s home last year.

On May 17, 2023, Mr. Welker approached a home on Nevada Avenue and demanded to confront a man whom Mr. Welker believed to be involved with the mother of Mr. Welker’s child. The home on Nevada Avenue belonged to the intended victim’s mother, and the intended victim was not there that day. Mr. Welker had once before in this manner attempted to confront her son, the intended victim, and this time Mr. Welker also verbally threatened the intended victim’s mother. Fearing for her safety, the mother secured an emergency protective order temporarily banning Mr. Welker from her property and from contacting her further.

On the morning of May 20, 2023, Mr. Welker returned to the Nevada Avenue home. This time, another of the woman’s sons was home. Although not the subject of Mr. Welker’s ire, that son challenged Mr. Welker to a fistfight because Mr. Welker had threatened his mother. That son overpowered Mr. Welker and detained him until Norfolk Police officers arrived at the house. The officers identified Mr. Welker as having outstanding warrants from the incident three days prior and detained him. Immediately after Mr. Welker was transported to the Police Operations Center to be served his warrants and the protective order, Mr. Welker met with a friend, retrieved a firearm, and went back to the Nevada Avenue house.

In the meantime, after hearing about the fight, four of the woman’s sons — including Mr. Welker’s intended victim and his friend (who was armed) — as well as their godfather had met outside her home. While the men were standing outside, they saw Mr. Welker approach, pull out a firearm, and begin shooting at the intended victim. The men split up and took cover to avoid being shot, and the friend returned fire, prompting Mr. Welker to flee. No one was injured, but some of Mr. Welker’s gunshots went into nearby cars.

Norfolk Police investigators secured felony warrants against Mr. Welker for attempted malicious wounding and for using a firearm to commit that felony. The Norfolk Police Fugitive Section arrested Mr. Welker in Chesapeake in March 2024.

Mr. Welker pleaded not guilty to his charges, requested a jury trial, and was convicted as charged by a jury on July 23.

On Thursday, the Commonwealth argued for Mr. Welker to be sentenced above the high-end of his state sentencing guidelines, which was three years and eight months, due to Mr. Welker’s disregard for court and police orders leading to the shooting and Mr. Welker’s refusal to take responsibility since the shooting.

Noting the Commonwealth’s argument, Judge Mary Jane Hall sentenced Mr. Welker to serve four years and eight months in prison and suspended an additional two years and four months in prison on the conditions that Mr. Welker complete three years of uniform good behavior and supervised probation following his release and be banned from Nevada Avenue.

“Mr. Welker’s escalating threats of violence ended with Mr. Welker’s decision to shoot at the victims in this case,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “We are fortunate that Mr. Welker missed his target. Once again, a nation awash in illegal guns provides too-easy access to people who wish to do violence. We have worked to hold Mr. Welker accountable, but until our nation addresses the tidal wave of guns washing over us, we will continue to see incidents like this.” 

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney J. Drew Fairbanks prosecuted Mr. Welker’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jose R. Oyola led the investigation.

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July 23, 2024

Jury Convicts Man of Attempted Malicious Wounding, Using a Firearm in Shooting at Family Outside Their Norfolk Home in 2023

NORFOLK, Va. — A jury found Terence Artavian Welker Jr., 21, guilty on Tuesday of attempted malicious wounding and using a firearm to attempt malicious wounding after he shot at a group of brothers outside their mother’s home last year.

On May 17, 2023, Mr. Welker approached a home on Nevada Avenue and demanded to confront a man whom Mr. Welker believed to be involved with the mother of Mr. Welker’s child. The home on Nevada Avenue belonged to the intended victim’s mother, and the intended victim was not there that day. Mr. Welker had once before in this manner attempted to confront her son, the intended victim, and this time Mr. Welker also verbally threatened the intended victim’s mother. Fearing for her safety, the mother secured an emergency protective order temporarily banning Mr. Welker from her property and from contacting her further.

On the morning of May 20, 2023, Mr. Welker returned to the Nevada Avenue home. This time, another of the woman’s sons was home. Although not the subject of Mr. Welker’s ire, that son challenged Mr. Welker to a fistfight because Mr. Welker had threatened his mother. That son overpowered Mr. Welker and detained him until Norfolk Police officers arrived at the house. The officers identified Mr. Welker as having outstanding warrants from the incident three days prior and detained him. Immediately after Mr. Welker was transported to the Police Operations Center to be served his warrants and the protective order, Mr. Welker met with a friend, retrieved a firearm, and went back to the Nevada Avenue house.

In the meantime, after hearing about the fight, four of the woman’s sons — including Mr. Welker’s intended victim and his friend (who was armed) — as well as their godfather had met outside her home. While the men were standing outside, they saw Mr. Welker approach, pull out a firearm, and begin shooting in the intended victim’s direction. The men split up and took cover to avoid being shot, and the friend returned fire, prompting Mr. Welker to flee. No one was injured, but some of Mr. Welker’s gunshots went into nearby cars.

Norfolk Police investigators secured felony warrants against Mr. Welker for attempted malicious wounding and for using a firearm to commit that felony. The Norfolk Police Fugitive Section arrested Mr. Welker in Chesapeake in March 2024.

On Monday, Mr. Welker opted for a jury trial after pleading not guilty to his charges. After about two hours of deliberation on Tuesday, the jury found Mr. Welker guilty as charged. 

“Mr. Welker threatened and tried to shoot multiple people in front of their own home, all in broad daylight,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “When someone shoots at another person for no reason, as Mr. Welker did, that is malice, and it is a serious felony deserving of serious sanctions. We are glad that the victims in this case were not shot, and we appreciate their assistance in holding Mr. Welker accountable. We will seek a sentence for Mr. Welker that reflects his crime.” 

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney J. Drew Fairbanks is prosecuting Mr. Welker’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jose R. Oyola led the investigation.

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