PICTURED: Army veteran, 36, and son, 18, shot to death at Virginia high school graduation

An 18-year-old student who just graduated from his high school was killed along with his stepfather when a gunman opened fire on hundreds of people gathered in the park in downtown Richmond, Virginia.

Shawn Jackson, 18, and his stepfather, Renzo Smith, 36, died in the Monroe Park shooting around 5 p.m. Tuesday, the graduate’s mother, Tameeka Jackson-Smith, confirmed to the Associated Press.

She said her and Smith’s nine-year-old daughter was hit by a car in the chaos that ensued. The girl was treated for leg injuries and released from hospital.

Five other people, aged between 14 and 58, were injured in the shooting on Tuesday, which sent hundreds fleeing in panic outside the capital’s Altria Theater following Huguenot High School’s graduation ceremony. At least one is in critical condition, while the others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. At least 12 others were injured or treated for fear due to the chaos, police said.

The suspect, 19-year-old Amari Pollard, was charged Wednesday morning with two counts of manslaughter, prosecutor Colette McEachin said in an email to the Associated Press.

Smith used to serve in the military, according to his wife’s Facebook page

Pollard said he plans to hire a lawyer, so the court continued the case until a hearing later this month, McEachin wrote.

Pollard is being held without bond. Police believe Jackson and Pollard were rivals.”

“They knew each other and had an ongoing dispute,” police chief Rick Edwards said.

Jackson-Smith said the family had just watched the graduation ceremony and then disintegrated into a large crowd after walking out. “He was so happy – oh my god – to be graduating. He worked hard.’

On the other hand, Smith served as a motorcycle transporter in the Army Reserve from October 2005 to August 2006 and in the Regular Army from August 2006 to April 2010,” the Pentagon told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

He also deployed to Iraq in 2008 and left the Army with the rank of Specialist and was awarded the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal during his service.

a GoFundMe started for the Jackson-Smith family, raising more than $10,000 of the $200,000 goal.

She said she was walking to reunite with her husband and son at a nearby park when she saw a man running after them and started shooting.

“I don’t know if he shot everyone, because so many people were shot all around. There were about seven people on the ground,” she said.

Defendant, Amari Pollard, 19, (pictured) was charged Wednesday morning with two counts of manslaughter. He pleaded not guilty

Jackson (right) had just graduated when he was shot

“He was so happy – oh my god – to be graduating. He worked hard,” his mother said

Jackson depicted as a small child at an unknown time

Edwards said there were “hundreds” in Monroe Park when Pollard allegedly started shooting.

“It was very chaotic on the ground,” he said at a news conference. “When they heard the gunfire, it was clear chaos.”

According to witnesses, dozens of shots were fired and the police recovered four weapons. WRIC reported.

All of Richmond’s public schools closed on Wednesday as Superintendent Jason Kamras said he was “out of words on this.”

“I’m just tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot. And I’m begging the whole community to stop, to just stop,” he said.

He described Shawn as “bubbly and the life of the party.”

‘Getting to the graduation phase was not easy. Yet he did. And he was rightfully proud and smiling and celebrating like all his peers. And a few minutes later, while enjoying the moment with his family in Monroe Park, he was shot,” he said.

“I still can’t shake the image of Shawn being resuscitated on the floor, still in his graduation gown.”

Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears blamed gangs for the violence and asked when “enough is enough.”

Pollard is expected to return to court at 9 a.m. on June 21. He has pleaded not guilty.

Smith’s nine-year-old daughter was also injured after being hit by a car in the chaos (Photo: Smith)

Smith pictured with his wife Tameeka Jackson-Smith , he was killed in a shooting at a Virginia graduation on Tuesday

Witnesses also shared their experiences.

In conversation with NBC12Jason Alexander said he was only 10 feet from the crossfire as hundreds of people began to take cover.

“We are waiting for my son to come out,” Alexander said.

“Behind us, we’re probably about 10 feet behind us. We heard fireworks going off.’

Earlier reports and a video of the scene indicated that the gunman fired about 20 rounds.

Alexander said he heard less as he maneuvered through the chaotic scene ahead.

“Everyone started running, and I pushed her down, and we got down on the floor, and it was just chaos from there,” he said.

You kept hearing gunshots. It was only eight, nine, ten shots.’

Alexander’s sister, Robin Spencer, gave an emotional report, wiping tears from her face as she spoke to the broadcaster about her disbelief.

“Who the hell would do this at these kids’ graduation?” Spencer said. ‘There are a lot of children. There are people walking around with babies.’