VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach police arrested and charged two suspects after a woman was shot and killed at a Harris Teeter gas station near the intersection of Independence Blvd. and Haygood Road on Monday.
On Wednesday, Virginia Beach Police Department homicide detectives, with help from police in Chesapeake, arrested suspects Michael Devonte White, 29, and Darrius Cornell White, 22.
The duo are brothers from Chesapeake.
Both men are being charged with First Degree Murder, three counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, two counts of Robbery with a Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. They are being held at Virginia Beach City Jail.
Virginia Beach's Haygood Shopping Center is a busy area, but police say that didn't stop the two men from trying to rob 65-year-old Anne May Smith from Virginia Beach at gunpoint.
Dr. David Milot of "in8 chiropractic" works next door to the gas station. He said his patients heard several shots.
"We were busy with patients, when they came in, they said they heard a couple of gunshots and then obviously we went out and looked to kind of see what was going on," Milot said.
Karla Keller also works nearby. She said she also heard several gunshots.
"We heard a couple of pops go off. We were scared. Didn't know what happened," Keller said. "I've lived here, born and raised, we've never had issues like that around here. It's super scary."
It happened around 5:15 p.m.
People who live and work in the area say the shooting is a surprise because the area is busy and doesn't have a lot of problems with crime.
Milot said he always feels "very safe" in the area.
"I've never felt any concern for my safety, at all. Even leaving at night when it's dark, it's lit; We've got lights there," Milot said.
"Certainly at the gas station it's well lit up and there's an attendant there, as well. And just with the traffic, there never seems to be – it’s not something where there’s going to be some stagnant situations going on. I always feel very safe, here.”
Officials originally asked people to avoid the area and said they were investigating a "firearm violation."
However, police later announced a person had been shot in the 4600 block of Haygood Road around 5:15 p.m.
When first responders arrived, they provided medical attention to Smith, but she succumbed to her injuries.
Investigators determined that it was an attempted robbery in a release on Tuesday.
The suspect car, a grey Lexus ES-300 with yellow license plates, was recovered. It had been stolen from a different area.
If you have any additonal information regarding this shooting, contact the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.