Police said two groups exchanged shots on Atlantic Avenue, and all eight victims are expected to survive.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Eight people ages 17 to 24 were wounded late Saturday after gunfire broke out between two groups near the Oceanfront on Atlantic Avenue, and police on Sunday arrested one 18-year-old suspect while seeking two others.
The shooting happened just after 9:50 p.m. in one of the city’s busiest resort blocks and came five weeks after another Atlantic Avenue shooting that pushed leaders to impose a temporary weekend curfew for unaccompanied minors. Detectives said at least three people fired during Saturday night’s confrontation, one suspect was among the wounded, and investigators were still trying to identify a third gunman Sunday evening.
According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, officers who were already patrolling the Oceanfront heard gunfire and got a ShotSpotter alert in the 1400 block of Atlantic Avenue. Police said officers moved in within minutes and found eight people with gunshot wounds. In a statement, the department said officers “converged on the scene” and took the victims to area hospitals, where their injuries were listed from non-life-threatening to serious. Police said all eight were expected to survive. The wounded included four teenagers and four adults, with home communities stretching from Richmond and Portsmouth to Lancaster County, Chesterfield and Snellville, Georgia. Authorities have not released the victims’ names, and they have not said how many of the eight were bystanders or whether every injured person was part of the original dispute.
By Sunday, detectives said the gunfire grew out of an altercation between two unrelated groups of young adults and juveniles. Investigators said at least three suspects exchanged shots. Police arrested Jamaya Williams, 18, of Henrico County, who authorities said was also shot and was carrying two firearms illegally. Williams was charged with seven counts of aggravated assault, seven counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, seven counts of reckless handling of a firearm with injury and three counts of violating a protective order. Detectives also named Isaiah Charity, 18, of Richmond, as a wanted suspect. Police said Charity faces eight counts each of aggravated malicious wounding, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and reckless handling of a firearm with injury. A third suspect remained unidentified Sunday and was described by police as a Black male wearing a dark hoodie with possible red lettering on the back.
Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the broader community, but much about the exchange remained unsettled. Deputy Chief William Zelms told reporters, “We know that when an incident like this happens, it causes concern.” Police have not publicly said what started the argument, who fired first, whether the groups knew each other before the encounter, or whether any of the wounded were specifically targeted. They also have not said how many rounds were fired, what surveillance or cellphone video has been recovered, or whether more arrests are expected beyond the three people already identified as suspects. During the investigation, officers also arrested Jahmari Savage, 21, of Chesapeake after finding a concealed 9 mm handgun. Police later said Savage was not believed to be connected to the shooting itself. That separate arrest underscored how many weapons officers say they have been encountering in the resort area this spring.
Saturday’s gunfire came weeks after a March 7 shooting in the 1800 block of Atlantic Avenue, a nearby stretch of the same Oceanfront corridor. In that case, police first found five wounded people and later identified a sixth victim who had gone to a hospital. All were expected to survive. Later court filings reported by local media said investigators believed an attempted robbery helped spark that earlier exchange of gunfire, which injured bystanders and led to a series of arrests over the following weeks. The two incidents, both near 10 p.m. on weekend nights, have sharpened concern about crowds, youth gatherings and the presence of firearms at the Oceanfront as warmer weather brings more visitors to the beach district. The repeat violence has drawn close attention because it happened in an area lined with hotels, restaurants and beach businesses that city leaders have been trying to present as safe at the start of the spring and summer season.
The tension at the Oceanfront stands out against the city’s broader crime picture. In a February briefing, Virginia Beach police told City Council that Part I violent crime in 2025 fell 6.7% from the year before to 419 offenses, the lowest total in five years. The department also said juvenile shooting victims dropped 50% and juvenile shooting suspects fell 45% from 2024. Even with that overall decline, officials moved quickly after the March shooting to add restrictions around the resort strip. On March 12, City Council approved an emergency Oceanfront curfew for unaccompanied minors from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekends through April, covering the area from Rudee Park to 31st Street, bounded on the west by Pacific Avenue and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Separately, the city pushed its regular curfew for minors from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m. beginning March 19.
When council members debated the temporary rules, Police Chief Paul Neudigate said the city was trying to prevent another night of chaos rather than make sweeping arrests. “It’s not about mass arrest,” Neudigate said then. Councilman Worth Remick said businesses backed a short-term measure even if they were not thrilled by the extra restrictions. Police have since used the curfew in enforcement sweeps, and local reporting said dozens of minors were detained and most released to parents with warnings after one Oceanfront operation. After Saturday night’s shooting, investigators again asked for videos and other evidence as they work to track the two outstanding suspects and sort out each person’s role in the case. No court date for Williams was announced in the police release Sunday, and authorities did not say when warrants for Charity would be served if he is found. Under department practice, the charges listed against Williams and the allegations against Charity remain accusations until tested in court.
By Sunday, the resort strip had become both a crime scene and a test of the city’s promise that the Oceanfront would stay open and orderly during peak months. Early reports placed the shooting near Atlantic Avenue and 14th Street, a stretch close to the beach where police and visitors mix on warm weekend nights. Officials said the threat had passed, but the investigation had not. Zelms said officers would keep working to reassure the public, and city leaders have framed the curfew, heavier patrols and tools such as ShotSpotter as part of that effort. For nearby workers and business owners, the larger question is whether back-to-back shootings on the same corridor will scare off customers before the season fully begins. That answer will likely depend on whether detectives can quickly explain what happened and whether arrests follow.
As of Sunday night, all eight victims were expected to survive, one suspect was in custody and two others were still being sought. The next public milestone is likely the arrest of the remaining suspects or a more detailed police briefing as detectives review video, ballistics evidence and witness accounts.