Homicide inside local Gold Shop

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - An employee at the Gold Shop in Portsmouth was killed Wednesday afternoon, police confirm.

Portsmouth detectives made several trips back to Dail's Shoppes Thursday, where someone gunned down Robert Nelson, 51, of Portsmouth.

Det. Jan Westerbeck told WAVY.com investigators are reviewing Crimeline tips, to see if any of them accurately identify the three suspects in surveillance pictures taken at the scene Wednesday.

Edna Perrault who owns the Full Boar Cafe in the small shopping center said Nelson frequently stopped in for meals.

Perrault said the community is still hopeful police will catch the people responsible for the violent crime. "I just don't understand it, I really don't understand it. I'm having a hard time with it, too. He was a nice guy." She pleaded with anyone who recognized the suspects, "Please call, I mean, if they'll hurt one person, they'll hurt another. That's my opinion."

No one could understand why someone would shoot and kill Nelson who worked at the small Portsmouth business. Friends said Nelson was one of a kind.

"He just always was such a friendly guy," said friend Mandy Kirkman. "He was always helpful."

The employee was doing just that, helping out a friend Wednesday. He was working at the Gold Shop while the owner was out of town.

"He just didn't deserve this," Kirkman added. "He's just a good guy."

Police believe three men went into the store around 1p.m. Two of them were seen running out.

"There were two guys wearing hoodies," said a witness. "I couldn't even see their faces."

About an hour later, a customer went into the shop. She came back out screaming for help.

"She was just saying that a guy got shot," the witness added. "She said she saw blood."

Nelson was found behind the counter. Detectives dusted for finger prints, not only at the Gold Shop, but also at businesses next door. Police released these surveillance photos of the suspects in hopes of tracking them down.

"I just can't believe this has happened," said Portsmouth's Esther Griffin. "It's not the norm for this part of town."

If you can help provide any details on this case, call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.