Virginia Fugitive Arrested in NY After Viral Maryland Shooting Video

On April 19, 2026, Emergency Communication and Citizen Services received a report of a robbery in the 3900 block of Holland Road. Virginia Beach Police officers (VBPD) confirmed the incident and began searching the area. The preliminary investigation found that the suspect displayed a weapon, demanded money, and fled with cash.

Detectives from the Fourth Precinct, Property Crimes Unit, arrived and assumed lead. Detectives identified the suspect as Shantay L. O’Donnell (F/46) of Virginia Beach. Warrants were obtained for two counts of armed robbery and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Her vehicle information was entered into the NCIC database.

On April 21, 2026, Binghamton Police Warrant Unit investigators began looking into a vehicle detected in the area through Automated License Plate Recognition software (ALPR). The vehicle, bearing a Virginia registration, had been flagged as connected to the Virginia Beach robbery. The suspect, later identified as O'Donnell, approached the vehicle. She was confirmed as the registered owner and found to have multiple active felony warrants from Virginia. She was taken into custody, and two illegally possessed handguns were recovered from her purse and person.

During the investigation, Binghamton detectives reviewed surveillance footage released on April 20, 2026, by the Howard County Police Department in Maryland. They positively identified O’Donnell as the suspect in a separate case involving the shooting of a man inside a Maryland convenience store. She faces additional felony charges there, including attempted robbery and attempted murder.

O’Donnell was charged in Johnson City, NY, with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (Class C felonies) and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (Class D felony). She was arraigned in Broome County and remanded to the Broome County Correctional Facility. She awaits extradition to both Virginia and Maryland.

The Virginia Beach Public Affairs Office expressed sincere appreciation to the Binghamton Police Department for their rapid response and professionalism in this case. Highlighting the necessity of interjurisdictional cooperation, the office noted, “Partnerships are vital to ensuring that suspects cannot evade accountability by fleeing the jurisdiction. Furthermore, the successful deployment of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology underscores how modern investigative tools are essential for identifying, locating, and apprehending violent offenders.

This incident remains under investigation by the VBPD Detective Bureau. Anyone with information is asked to contact VBPD at (757) 385-4101 or anonymously through Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or P3Tips.com. 

(Note: The charges mentioned in this press release are accusations, and the arrested individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)