Three teenagers face murder charges four months after a fatal shooting in Northern Virginia, Alexandria police said.
“When we have guns in the hands of our youth, we need to do more. We need to be better,” Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said.
A 25-year-old man was killed and two other people were injured in the shooting on Wythe Street near North Fayette in September.
“It left fear, it left tragedy, but what was most concerning about this incident: The suspects were all juveniles,” McGuire said.
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Just after 8 p.m. Sept. 19, the suspects opened fire, killing Kwakia Frazier, injuring a 46-year-old man and grazing a 15-year-old.
Shell casings collected at the scene were critical clues to finding the suspects thanks to a partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and a special, high-tech tool, McGuire said.
“It’s like a DNA touchpoint for ballistic evidence and imaging,” he said.
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Detectives identified the stolen guns used in the shooting and connected them to other incidents with the help of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network and 3D imaging.
“Those shell casings were entered into a system, and based off of that entry, we were able to link firearms to this crime,” McGuire said.
Investigators then identified a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds who police said were already in custody for other violent crimes. They are charged with murder by mob and malicious wounding.
In the weeks following the shooting, Arlington police beefed up security in the area, increasing patrols and using existing technology to keep residents safe.
McGuire said it’s also an important reminder about responsible gun ownership.
“We often think that it only impacts the people that were – quote unquote – victims, but there are a lot of people that stay in our communities,” McGuire said.
“No one should normalize violence in our community,” he said.
McGuire said the commonwealth’s attorney will decide if the teens will be tried as adults.
