VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Beach Police Department arrested a suspect on Tuesday in connection with a shooting that left six people injured at the Oceanfront during the Fourth of July holiday.
Ladarius Malik Trisvan
21-year-old Ladarius Malik Trisvan of Emporia, Virginia, has been charged with six counts of malicious wounding and six counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 5, officers responded to the area of 19th Street and Atlantic Avenue in reference to a shooting. They were within a block of the shooting scene when the incident happened.
Officers arrived at the scene to find two women and four men suffering from non-life threatening injuries. An investigation revealed that the victims were walking within the flow of pedestrian traffic on the west side of Atlantic Avenue when they heard gunshots and were hit. With the exception of a married couple, none of the victims knew each other, and they were all from out of town.
Authorities initially said while "none of the victims reported any problems or disputes" that could have led to the shooting, in a statement the next day police said a city camera "picked up a possible dispute in the crowd in the 1800 block just before the shooting."
Two people were also hurt after a shooting in the 1300 block of Atlantic Avenue on July 4 around 2 a.m. These incidents prompted city officials to address the ongoing problems of violence in the city.
“Gun violence is a growing problem in America. The fact that we are the safest large city in the country is of little comfort to those who were injured by irresponsible and reckless individuals who apparently have such little regard for the lives of others,” said Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera.
“The City takes extra measures, especially on holidays and other large event weekends, to provide a safe and family friendly environment," he said. "We always increase staffing for these holiday weekends and will continue to do that. We may consider additional steps to help manage crowds once the festivities are over, like close parking lots sooner to encourage earlier departures for day visitors."
Trisvan is being held at the Virginia Beach City Jail without bond.
Related:
Virginia Beach City leaders react to violence at Oceanfront
Six people shot at Virginia Beach Oceanfront
