Police are investigating a fatal shooting in a Midlothian neighborhood | Media Pyro

Chesterfield, Va. (WWBT) – Early Monday morning, investigators with the Chesterfield County Police Department were on North Carriage Lane in Midlothian to investigate a shooting that left a man dead early Monday.

At 3:30 a.m. on Halloween, Capt. Michael Breeden with Chesterfield police said officers were called to the 14000 block of North Carriage Lane for a reported shooting.

“A female inside a residence heard a noise, followed by a gunshot, and she called 911,” Capt. Breeden said.

When the woman went outside, she found her boyfriend in the driveway with a gunshot wound, Capt. Breeden said.

Officers attempted life-saving measures, but 56-year-old Robert C. Ashburn died at the scene.

At this point in their investigation, police discovered that Ashburn was on his way to work just before 3:30 a.m. when he saw someone go through his girlfriend’s unlocked car. Ashburn was shot when he confronted the suspect.

Police said the suspect fled the scene. No information is currently available on the suspect.

At the same time, the investigating officers also think that this is a random incident.

“He was getting ready to go to work and was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Capt. Breeden said. “We haven’t had many incidents in that particular area.”

Several residents who spoke to NBC12 said they were shocked by the situation.

Christine Bell went to the neighborhood Monday afternoon to check on a family member who lives near the scene.

“I’ve lived here in Midlothian for almost 28 years now and have never seen or heard of anything like this happening so close to home,” she said. “It’s hard to believe something like this happened here.”

As investigators look for leads, Bell said she is concerned about the situation, which she said is “very unusual” for the area.

“To know that it was so close and that the guy just walked away on foot is pretty scary,” Bell said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660.

Chesterfield Police have asked residents in the surrounding Caulfield area to call investigators if their car may have been broken into.

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