VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A judge denied bond to two men charged in connection to last Friday’s violence at the Oceanfront.
The judge said both men are a risk to the community. The mother of 18-year-old Tyereis Smith, one of the suspects, left the courtroom in tears.
In court, we learned Smith is a student at First Colonial High School. He, along with two other suspects, face charges for selling guns to convicted felons and having drugs.
As for Malik Kearney, he’s accused of hitting a police officer with his car, DUI among other charges. In court, his attorney told the judge his client was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Court documents said Kearney did not see the officer he hit and feels sorry for him. It goes on to say he denied having a gun, but officers found shell casings in his car and eventually found a gun nearby. Documents said Kearney admitted to shooting back at other people out of fear they were shooting at him.
“A couple of things are clear, the community is hurting, people want safe communities that are free from gun violence,” explained Attorney General Mark Herring.
The violence at the Oceanfront on Friday night also involved an officer shooting and killing Donovon Lynch. Earlier this week, the Virginia Beach Police Department handed over their investigation to Virginia State Police.
Herring, along with Governor Ralph Northam and local leaders, said it was the right call.
“I think having an independent unaffiliated law enforcement agency conduct the investigation offers the best likelihood that the public will have confidence in that investigation and what results from it,” Herring said.
As for the others charged in the Oceanfront violence, Ahmon Adams is charged with actually firing gunshots that night. He has a bond hearing on Friday morning.
Nyquez Baker and Devon Dorsey Jr. are also accused of shooting several people that night. As of now, they do not have any bond hearings scheduled.
Gerald Thomas II and Jhaimeek Cater are accused of selling guns to convicted felons. A judge denied bond to both of them on Wednesday.