VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Two people were injured as the result of a shooting on John Smith Court near Kempsville High School Thursday evening as the school’s football team was playing in its season-opening game.
The two injured — a 16-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man — walked into the hospital with gunshot wounds with “non-lethal” injuries that police later learned were connected to the shooting in the 5000 block of John Smith Court.
Around 9:40 p.m., officers from the Virginia Beach Police Department and the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office who were working security at the football game heard multiple gunshots fired in the adjacent neighborhood, police said.
Working with Virginia Beach City Public Schools staff, officers from the city’s police and sheriff’s departments helped to clear the field and stadium “to ensure the immediate security of all students, families and staff.”
As the stadium was being evacuated, police said they were simultaneously responding to the scene of the shots fired in the 5000 block of John Smith Court, where police collected evidence and interviewed potential witnesses. At the scene, police said they found no victims, damage or suspects.
However, around 11:35 p.m., Virginia Beach Emergency Communications and Citizen Services got a call about the two shooting victims, both of whom had non-lethal injuries, police said.
Police determined they were both victims of the shooting on John Smith Court, and said a third shooting victim — a 19-year-old man — walked into a local hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. Police said he was uncooperative about how he received his wound, so they cannot confirm whether it is related to the John Smith Court incident.
Police said they are continuing their investigation, and ask that anyone with information related to the incident contact the VBPD Detective Bureau at 757-385-4101 or anonymously through the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
Previously:
Virginia Beach Police are investigating a shots-fired incident on John Smith Court near Kempsville High School Thursday evening as the school’s football team was playing in its season-opening game.
Kempsville was hosting Green Run when the game was halted after shots were heard near the stadium in the 5000 block of John Smith Court.
Police said that while it is early in the investigation, there is no known victim, damage or suspect at this time.
Virginia Beach Public Schools sent this message to Kempsville and Green Run High School families Thursday night:
We are writing to make you aware that we had to end tonight’s football game early because of shots fired in the neighborhood adjacent to Kempsville High School. We worked in collaboration with the Virginia Beach Police Department to clear the field and stadium. Our students, staff and families are safe.
If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.
