A sailor from the carrier Eisenhower who was arrested and charged with fatally shooting another sailor on a Norfolk, Virginia, street in November was ordered back to his ship as the military justice system takes over the homicide investigation.

Norfolk police initially arrested Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Donald Dwight Lee Bowman on Nov. 4 and charged him in the earlier shooting death of 20-year-old Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Airman James Nakia Henderson Jr., who had been stationed with the carrier Ford.

The 26-year-old faced charges in civilian court of 2nd degree murder, malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. But local prosecutors moved to drop those charges on Dec. 11 after the Navy requested jurisdiction in the case, according to Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Amanda Howie.

Navy officials are reviewing the case and have ordered Bowman to remain on board the Eisenhower, where he will not be in pretrial confinement, according to Naval Air Force Atlantic officials, who referred all other questions to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

While Howie initially said another person found shot and injured at the scene was also a Navy sailor, NCIS officials said Wednesday that the individual was former Navy.



Norfolk police responded to shots fired just before 3 a.m. in the 700 block of Washington Avenue and found Henderson and an unidentified 25-year-old shot, police said in a statement released a few days after the shooting.

Bowman was found near the scene with a gunshot wound as well and was taken to a local hospital before his arrest, according to police.



Norfolk police declined to provide any information beyond their initial statement.



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Bowman posted a $75,000 bond and was released from the Hampton Roads Regional Jail on Nov. 17, according to Norfolk Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Col. Mike O’Toole.



The Navy did not immediately respond to questions Wednesday regarding when Bowman was ordered to remain on board the ship or when charges will be decided upon.

