Police said the shooting remains under investigation after officers responded to multiple reports of gunfire on Yorktown Avenue.
LYNCHBURG, VA — An 18-year-old man was shot during a party at a Lynchburg apartment complex early Monday, leaving him paralyzed, his family said, as police continued to investigate the gunfire on Yorktown Avenue.
Zane Davidson was injured after what relatives described as a night out with friends at The Meadows Apartments. The Lynchburg Police Department said officers were called to the 2300 block of Yorktown Avenue at about 2:25 a.m. June 22 after dispatchers received multiple reports of shots fired. Police said officers found an adult male with serious injuries, and the Lynchburg Fire Department took him to Lynchburg General Hospital.
Davidson’s family later identified him as the person who was wounded. His parents, Brandie Adams and Anthony Osborne, said the shooting turned an ordinary night into a life-changing medical emergency. “I didn’t think we’d wake up to that phone call, but we did,” Osborne said. The family said Davidson had gone to a party before the shooting. Police have not released a suspect’s name, a motive or a detailed account of what led to the gunfire. The department said Monday that the case remained active and ongoing.
Osborne said the bullet caused severe injuries. “The bullet, when it went in, it collapsed both lungs, severed his spine in two, so he will never be able to walk again,” he said. Family members said Davidson was first taken for emergency treatment in Lynchburg before continuing care at the University of Virginia Medical Center. They described him as someone who makes relatives laugh and smile, and they said they are trying to focus on the fact that he survived. “He was a good boy overall; he still is a good guy overall, and I’m glad we’re not talking about him in past tense,” Osborne said.
The shooting happened in the 2300 block of Yorktown Avenue, an area that includes The Meadows Apartments. Police said the first public details were limited to the shots-fired call, the discovery of a seriously injured man and his transport by the fire department. Officials did not say how many people were at the party, how many shots were fired or whether investigators recovered a weapon. They also did not say whether Davidson was targeted or hit during a wider dispute. Those details remained unknown Tuesday.
For Davidson’s family, the case now has two tracks: his medical recovery and the police investigation. Osborne said the family is shaken and wants answers about why the shooting happened. He also spoke about young people carrying guns, saying the violence had left permanent damage. “Kids out here with guns, don’t know what to do with them. This ain’t Call of Duty; this is real life,” Osborne said. His comments reflected the family’s anger and fear after doctors delivered news that Davidson would not walk again.
The Lynchburg Police Department has not announced any arrests. Police said Detective Bond is assigned to the case and that investigators are still gathering information. The department’s Monday release asked people with information to contact police or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers. Investigators often use witness accounts, shell casings, medical records, video and 911 call information to build shooting cases, but police have not said what evidence has been collected in this investigation.
Adams and Osborne said Davidson is now recovering at the University of Virginia Medical Center and continuing to fight. Osborne said the family has tried to keep the focus on his survival while facing the reality of his injuries. “I just had to remind her that he’s still alive. We’re not planning a funeral. We can still bring him home, and she can still talk to him,” he said. The family said the shooting has changed what Davidson’s future will look like, but not the fact that he remains present with them.
No charges had been announced as of Tuesday, June 23. Police said the investigation remains active, and no further public update had been released on a suspect, motive or court date.
Author note: Last updated June 23, 2026.