Police say at least three people exchanged gunfire on Atlantic Avenue, and a third suspect has not been identified.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A second 18-year-old suspect was arrested after a weekend shooting near the Virginia Beach Oceanfront left eight people wounded, and police said they were still trying to identify a third gunman in one of the resort strip’s busiest blocks.
The new arrest moved the investigation forward, but many of the central questions were still unsettled by Wednesday. Police say the gunfire broke out after an altercation between two unrelated groups of young adults and juveniles late Saturday night on Atlantic Avenue. The shooting came little more than a month after another gunfire case on the same corridor, adding pressure on city leaders as they weigh tougher curfew rules before the spring and summer tourist season gathers pace.
Police said officers already patrolling the Oceanfront heard shots at about 9:50 p.m. Saturday and got a ShotSpotter alert in the 1400 block of Atlantic Avenue. Within minutes, officers found eight people with gunshot wounds and moved them to area hospitals. Their injuries ranged from serious to non-life-threatening, and police said all eight were expected to survive. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 24 and came from several communities in Virginia and one from Georgia. By Sunday, detectives said the violence grew out of a confrontation between two unrelated groups that escalated into gunfire. Police Chief Paul Neudigate said the city had already added staffing at the Oceanfront earlier than usual this year, telling reporters, “Historically that is not something we’ve had to do as a police department.” Even with that added presence, the shooting unfolded in a crowded stretch lined with hotels, restaurants and beach businesses.
Charging documents and police updates filled in part of the sequence, though not all of it. Court records cited by local news outlets say video from city cameras showed Jamya Williams, 18, of Henrico County, on a nearby sidewalk when two other people began to fight. The records say Williams fired northward before she was shot herself, and that two additional shooters were visible in the footage. Local reporting also said Williams admitted firing a gun. Police have not publicly said what started the dispute, who fired first, whether the groups knew each other before the encounter, or how many of the wounded were bystanders. Court records cited Tuesday said some of the injured people were not tied to the two groups involved in the original conflict. Police also have not said how many rounds were fired, what ballistic evidence has been matched so far, or whether surveillance and cellphone video have clarified the role of every person at the scene.
The case has drawn intense attention because it happened on the same Oceanfront corridor where another shooting on March 7 wounded six people. That earlier case pushed City Council to approve a temporary 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekend curfew for unaccompanied minors in the resort area, starting March 13 and running through the end of April. Outside that zone, the city also moved its general curfew for unaccompanied minors up to 10 p.m., effective March 19. The repeat violence has shaken confidence in a district that city leaders market as safe and family-friendly at the start of the warm-weather season. It also stands out against the city’s broader crime numbers. In a February briefing, police said violent crime in Virginia Beach fell 6.7% in 2025 to 419 offenses, the lowest total in five years. Police also said juvenile shooting victims were down 50% from 2024 and juvenile shooting suspects were down 45%, figures that made the back-to-back Oceanfront shootings more politically and publicly jarring.
Police first arrested Williams, who was also wounded, and said she had two firearms illegally. She was charged with seven counts of aggravated assault, seven counts of use of 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. On Monday, police arrested Isaiah Charity, 18, of Richmond. Police said Charity faces eight counts each of aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and reckless handling of a firearm with injury. Authorities say a third suspect remains unidentified and describe him as a Black male wearing a dark hoodie with possible red lettering on the back. During the investigation, officers also arrested Jahmari Savage, 21, of Chesapeake, on a concealed firearm charge after finding a 9 mm handgun, though police later said they do not believe he was connected to the shooting. The allegations against Williams and Charity remain accusations that have not been tested in court.
The criminal case now overlaps with a new policy fight at City Hall. Mayor Bobby Dyer used a Monday briefing to argue that local officials and state lawmakers need more tools to deal with repeat violence in the resort area. “The time is now for us to act, and we must act together,” Dyer said. On Tuesday, City Council met in closed session to discuss additional safety options, and the city scheduled a special formal session for 4 p.m. Thursday to vote on a proposed 9 p.m. curfew for all ages on Friday and Saturday nights through the rest of April. If approved, the curfew would cover the area from Pacific Avenue to the Boardwalk and from Rudee Loop to 31st Street, with exceptions for emergencies, work travel and certain protected activities. Councilman Worth Remick said city leaders were trying to find a practical response before the season gets busier. Residents and business owners have offered mixed reactions, with some backing stronger controls and others warning that a broader curfew could hurt evening traffic and add to fears about the Oceanfront.
By midweek, the block where the shooting happened had become more than a crime scene. It had become a test of whether Virginia Beach can keep order on a corridor that draws large weekend crowds long before schools let out for summer. The Oceanfront remained open, but the debate around it had shifted from one night’s violence to the city’s wider struggle over crowd control, firearms and tourism. Investigators were still asking for video and witness accounts that might identify the third shooter and clarify each suspect’s role. Nearby business owners said they want the city to act before the season peaks, even if the solution is unpopular. Rachel Cook, who manages a miniature golf business near the Oceanfront, told local television she would rather see leaders “correct it now and enjoy the rest of the summer.” For police, the immediate task is narrower: finish the case, explain the sequence and show whether more arrests will follow.
As of Wednesday, both named suspects were in custody, all eight victims were expected to survive and detectives were still seeking the third gunman. The next public milestone is Thursday’s 4 p.m. City Council vote on the proposed all-ages curfew, while the criminal investigation continues.
Author note: Last updated April 15, 2026.