VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Police say six people were injured in a shooting at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Saturday night, and two suspects remain on the run.
According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, officers patrolling the Oceanfront heard gunfire around 9:50 p.m. Saturday in the 1800 block of Atlantic Avenue. When officers responded, they found five people suffering from gunshot wounds. The four men and one woman, believed to be in their late teens or early 20s, were taken to local hospitals with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
On Sunday, March 8, detectives identified a sixth victim who arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Police say that person also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover.
The victims are listed as an 18-year-old woman from Norfolk, a 19-year-old man from Suffolk, a 24-year-old man from Portsmouth, a 21-year-old man from Newport News, a 19-year-old man whose hometown is unknown, and a 22-year-old man from New Kent County.
Police say their preliminary investigation indicates two men were shooting at each other when several other people were struck by the gunfire. Both suspects ran from the scene and have not been located.
Investigators describe one suspect as a man in his late teens to early 20s with dark skin and afro-style hair, wearing black shoes, black pants and a red shirt or sweatshirt. The second suspect is described as a male in his late teens to early 20s with a heavy build, wearing black shorts and a white T-shirt with lettering or a design on the front.
Watch local coverage: Virginia Beach police take 37 teens into custody in Oceanfront curfew sweep
Police Chief Paul Neudigate said officers expected larger crowds because it was the first warm night of the year and had already increased staffing in the Resort Area. More than 50 additional officers were deployed Saturday night to supplement normal weekend staffing.
Neudigate said police presence alone is not always enough to prevent violence.
“As I have stated repeatedly, police presence and visibility, even in large numbers, is no longer a sufficient deterrent for some of the individuals that frequent our Resort Area that are willing to resort to a gun to resolve conflict,” Neudigate said.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information or video related to the shooting is asked to contact the Virginia Beach Police Department at (757) 385-4101 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or P3Tips.com.
