Jury trial begins in Blacksburg hookah lounge shooting case

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - A jury trial began on September 11 for the man accused of the 2022 deadly shooting at Melody Hookah Lounge in Blacksburg.

The shooting left one person dead and four others wounded. Police say Jamel Flint is responsible for the shooting. He is facing multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder for the killing of Isiah Robinson.

The commonwealth opened its case by saying the case is about revenge, claiming Flint was shot in 2021 and he believed he saw his shooter that night at the hookah lounge.

The defense opened by saying this case could come down to reasonable doubt from the jury saying the commonwealth has to prove Flint’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The commonwealth called many witnesses on day one including Blacksburg Police Detective Ryan Hite, who testified that Flint said during police interviews, “I can’t just be like ‘I didn’t do it’” and “it’s all fun and games when the tables are turned.”

Day two of the trial will continue September 12 with more commonwealth witnesses before the defense begins its case.

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