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Virginia Beach — Police Chief Paul Neudigate announced Tuesday three more people have been arrested in connection with the Oceanfront shootings that left two people dead and eight injured over the weekend.
The chief reported to the Virginia Beach City Council that the arrests occurred Sunday during the execution of search warrants related to the shootings. The charges are for illegal weapons sales and drug possession, however, and are not related to the actual shootings.
Two of the searches occurred in the 100 block of Shoreview Court, the other in the 900 block of Atlantis Drive, according to a police spokeswoman. All the addresses are located within the Atlantis Apartments complex, off South Birdneck Road.
Virginia State Police and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives helped with the searches, the spokeswoman said.
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Among the people arrested as a result of the searches was 35-year-old Gerald Scott Thomas II. Thomas is charged with selling a firearm to a convicted felon, failing to perform a criminal history check prior to selling a firearm, being a convicted felon with a firearm and drug possession.
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Jhaimeek Kerion Carter, 18, is charged with three counts of selling a firearm to a convicted felon, failing to perform a criminal history check prior to selling a firearm and drug possession. Tyereis Smith, also 18, is charged with three counts of selling a firearm to a convicted felon and failing to run a criminal history check prior to selling a firearm.
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Neudigate also said that three young men who were initially arrested have ties to gangs and that officers have recovered 14 firearms during the investigation.
“We are pursuing federal charges with ATF and I do anticipate that as we continue to move forward, we will make additional arrests related to this incident,” Neudigate told the City Council.
Breaking News
On Friday around 11:20 p.m. five males were observed firing handguns near 20th Street and Atlantic Avenue, Neudigate said. The gunfire struck nine individuals — six males and three females, one of whom is still in serious condition in the hospital, the chief said.
An officer was present during this incident and pursued and apprehended one suspect in a 19th Street hotel parking lot, he said. The chief did not identify that suspect by name.
Deshayla Harris, 29, an innocent bystander, was struck by a bullet in the head and killed.
A 10th person, 25-year-old Donovon Lynch, was shot and killed by a Virginia Beach police officer.
The authorities initially arrested three young men: Ahmon Jahree Adams, 18, of Chesapeake; Nyquez Tyyon Baker, 18, of Virginia Beach; and Devon Maurice Dorsey Jr., 20, also of Virginia Beach. Each is charged with seven counts of felony assault, illegally using a gun and recklessly handling a gun and are locked up at the Virginia Beach city jail.
“Some of these individuals were not unknown to the Virginia Beach Police Department,” Neudigate said.
Alissa Skelton, 757-995-9043, alissa.skelton@pilotonline.com.