Teen charged with homicide in Woodbridge

On June 18, police were called to the Misty Ridge Apartments in Woodbridge for reports of a shooting at 12:44 a.m. When officers arrived, they found a 17-year-old man from Spartanburg, in South Carolina, shot and wounded in an outdoor stairwell. Despite immediate help, he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Detectives began a homicide investigation, which led to the arrest of a 15-year-old boy from Gaffney, South Carolina, on June 23. The investigation revealed that the deceased, along with the 15-year-old and potentially other accomplices, planned to rob an 18-year-old resident of the apartment complex. The group, who came from South Carolina, targeted the resident for marijuana and money.

On the evening of June 18, the suspects approached the apartment but found no answer at the door. The deceased then attempted to break in by breaking a window. The resident, asleep inside, responded by firing his handgun, fatally hitting the 17-year-old intruder. The suspect, aged 15, returned fire towards the complex as he fled. No additional injuries or significant property damage were reported during the incident.

The juvenile suspect was apprehended in Fredericksburg with the cooperation of the Virginia State Police and various law enforcement agencies from Virginia and South Carolina. He faces charges of murder, burglary with intent to commit a felony and shooting into an occupied dwelling. He is currently being held in a juvenile detention center pending further legal proceedings.

Two firearms were recovered at the scene and the investigation continues with the assistance of local and state authorities.