Atlantic Avenue shooting leaves 6 wounded as Virginia Beach cops arrest 18-year-old suspect
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A chaotic shooting at the Oceanfront left six people wounded and has now led to the arrest of an 18-year-old Norfolk man, while two other suspects remain on the run.
Gunfire broke out around 9:52 p.m. on March 7 in the 1800 block of Atlantic Avenue, where officers patrolling the area heard shots and rushed to the scene.
Six victims were ultimately identified, including an 18-year-old woman from Norfolk, a 19-year-old man from Suffolk, a 24-year-old man from Portsmouth, a 21-year-old man from Newport News, a 19-year-old man whose hometown was not immediately known, and a 22-year-old man from New Kent County.
All six victims suffered gunshot wounds that police said were not believed to be life-threatening.
Investigators said the preliminary investigation indicates two male suspects were shooting at each other when the victims were struck by the gunfire.
On March 8, detectives arrested Matheus F. Cavalcante, 18, of Norfolk, in connection with the shooting.
He was charged with five counts of aggravated malicious wounding, one count of malicious wounding, six counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and six counts of reckless handling of a firearm.
Authorities said the investigation remains active and additional arrests are expected.
Two suspects were still being sought following the shooting. One was described as a Black male in his late teens to early 20s with dark skin and afro-style hair, wearing black shoes, black pants, and a red shirt or sweatshirt. The second was described as a white male in his late teens to early 20s with a heavy build, wearing black shorts and a white T-shirt with lettering or a design on the front.
Anyone with information or relevant video footage is asked to contact Virginia Beach police at 757-385-4101 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or P3Tips.com.
Key Points
• Six people were wounded in the March 7 shooting on Atlantic Avenue
• Police arrested Matheus F. Cavalcante, 18, of Norfolk
• Victims ranged in age from 18 to 24