The Richmond community is mourning a tragic loss after the life of Adam Turck came to an early end on Saturday, August 2, 2025. He was 35. The actor was fatally shot that morning when he tried to help a stranger involved in a domestic dispute.

According to a police report, officers were dispatched to the 2000 block of East Grace Street for a domestic call at around 10:17 a.m. An officer arrived on the scene, and found two males on the ground, both unresponsive and suffering from gunshot wounds.

“They were transported to a local hospital with injuries that remain life-threatening,” a Richmond police spokesperson told CBS 6. Turck’s family has since learned that Turck is not expected to survive his injuries.

Detectives determined that a 19-year-old man was involved in a confrontation with an adult woman, both of whom remain unidentified. The altercation took place in front of an apartment building, and prompted the surrounding neighbors to dial emergency services regarding a “domestic violence situation.”

Turck, who was passing by with his dog, attempted intervene in the dispute. The 19-year-old then drew a gun from his backpack and shot Turck, before turning the gun on himself. An eyewitness shared with CBS 6 that they saw the tragic scene unfold.

“A random bystander [Turck] walking his dog tried to intervene and help her; that’s when it started escalating between them,” the witness said. “The guy shot the bystander…and then shot himself.”

Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards called the incident a “tragic story of gun violence” against a man who was simply trying to help. “This is a heartbreaking reminder that we must, as a community, continue to combat gun violence in our society,” he reflected.

Shortly after his death, Turck’s family released a statement. “Adam will be 35 years old when he passes in the next few days, after donating his organs to help save the lives of others. That’s what heroes do—they save the lives of others,” the statement, released on Monday, August 4, read.

The family also shared at the time Turck’s organs needed further tests to determine their viability recipients. “We hope that those lives he saves will know that they will hold the soul of a hero within them,” the family said.

A dedicated thespian, hailing from Pennsylvania, Turck had lived and worked in Richmond for a decade. He was a multi-nominee for the Richmond Theatre Community Circle Awards and won the award for Best Actor in a Play in 2018 for his role in “Hand to God.”

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Adam Turck, a gifted actor, passionate activist, and beloved member of our community,” The Virginia Repertory Theatre wrote in a touching tribute on Facebook.

“Adam was a light, both on stage and in every space he entered. His artistry, integrity, and fierce compassion touched so many of us. This is a profound loss we share as a community,” the tribute continued.

Beyond acting, Turck also worked as a trainer at Tequila and Deadlifts gym. Kerith Rae — the owner of Tequila and Deadlifts, who also shared a tribute on the gym’s official Facebook — said Turck could be found at the fitness center everyday, often with his beloved dog, Lana.

“He’s the kind of person people write about in books because they want to be that good and he just was. And this world is a duller, darker place without him,” she continued. Rae shared that Turck’s family called her to help identify him as they could only think of the gym’s name.

“They remembered the gym name, and I remember so many people would tell me how stupid the name was, and Adam said he loved it and I’m so glad he did and I’m so glad it’s so stupid because at least his family remembered it because they were able to get in touch with me” Rae said.

Turck’s friends and family remembered him as someone with “a moral compass made of steel.” “Every single person who meets him, you can be his friend. He is one of the most energetic, kind people I have ever met,” CJ Bergin, a friend of Turck’s, told CBS 6.

He later added, “Superman at the end of the day is a firefighter. Superman is someone who comes in and helps people. He worries about everything else, later, someone who steps in to make sure that everyone is okay. And that was Adam.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by a woman named Ruth Hedberg, working with Turck’s family and his “platonic partner and friend soulmate,” Chelsea Burke. “Adam has been Chelsea’s care and well-being,” Hedberg shared.

She explained that the funds raised would go towards ensuring Chelsea can relocate and “re-establish a new home” in Richmond. All leftover funds would then be “dedicated to a purpose” that Turck would pursue or donated to a cause he supported.