A Norfolk man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for shooting and killing 44-year-old Bradley Kristoffer Kortbawi outside a Ghent apartment building in the summer of 2024.
According to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, 57-year-old Vandes Jackson received his sentence Friday after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of murder. The two-day trial took place in September, and jurors deliberated for about 30 minutes before finding Jackson guilty.
The shooting happened shortly after midnight on July 6, 2024, on Core Avenue. Kortbawi had been outside an apartment building smoking a cigarette and talking with two friends — one of whom lived in the building — when Jackson, a neighbor, approached.
Prosecutors said Jackson claimed he heard someone in the group use a racial slur he found offensive. Kortbawi and his friends told him no such comment had been made. As Kortbawi turned his head away, Jackson pulled a gun from his pocket, placed it against Kortbawi’s temple, and fired, killing him instantly.
When one of the witnesses, shocked, said Jackson had just shot her friend, he allegedly replied, “Then call the police,” and walked away.
Dispatch records show Jackson called 911 at 12:39 a.m. — before the shooting — asking for police assistance because of the alleged slur. The operator told him not to confront the group. Jackson ended the call by saying he would “handle the situation.”
Jackson called 911 again at 1:17 a.m., telling dispatchers he had shot someone. When the first Norfolk officer arrived, Jackson returned, admitted to the shooting, and directed officers to Kortbawi’s body. He was taken into custody without incident.
Jackson was initially charged with second-degree murder before prosecutors secured a direct indictment for first-degree murder.
On Friday, Dec. 5, a judge sentenced Jackson to 40 years in prison, with another five years suspended on the condition that he maintains good behavior for life after release. Prosecutors requested a 39-year active sentence, while the defense argued for a shorter term.
Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi said the sentence reflects the brutality of the crime and the danger Jackson posed to the community.
“Mr. Kortbawi did not do anything to deserve his death at the hands of Mr. Jackson, and Mr. Jackson’s sentence reflects the senselessness and cruelty of his crime,” Fatehi said. “I wish Mr. Kortbawi’s family and friends peace as they continue to cope with their loss.”
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