VBPD Investigation into Shooting on John Smith Court on August 24, 2023 Continues

On Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, at approximately 9:40 p.m. officers from the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) and the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office (VBSO) working security at the Kempsville High School football game heard multiple gunshots fired in the adjacent neighborhood.

In the interest of public safety, working in concert with Virginia Beach City Public Schools staff, VBSO and VBPD assisted to clear the field and the stadium to ensure the immediate security of all students, families, and staff.

While the football game was being carefully and efficiently evacuated, VBPD was simultaneously responding to the scene of the shots fired – in the 5000 block of John Smith Court. At the scene, police collected evidence and interviewed potential witnesses. There were no victims, damage, or suspects at the scene.

Later in the night, at 11:35 p.m., Virginia Beach Emergency Communications and Citizen Services (ECCS) received a call about two gunshot wound victims, a 16-year-old male and a 19-year-old male, both with non-lethal injuries. It was determined that they were both victims of the shooting on John Smith Court. A third gunshot wound victim (a 19-year-old male) walked into a local hospital with a non-life-threatening injury but was uncooperative about how he received his wound, so it is unconfirmed if it is related to the John Smith Court incident.

This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information relating to this case, please contact the VBPD Detective Bureau at (757) 385-4101 or anonymously through Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.