A D.C. rapper accused of firing a gun inside the Tysons Corner Center mall in Northern Virginia earlier this year appeared in court Monday, and a detective's testimony revealed new details on what happened.
A detective told the Fairfax County court that Noah Settles, 22, of Southeast D.C., fired three times inside the crowded mall on June 18, over Father's Day weekend. The shooting caused scared shoppers to run for exits and hide inside the mall. The mall was temporarily closed by authorities.
In court, the detective testified that he identified Settles by the distinctive tattoos on his face and neck. No Savage, the name Settles uses as a rapper, is tattooed on his neck, the detective said.
Cameras positioned near a kiosk at the mall captured the shooting and recorded high-quality images that show Settles holding a gun inside the mall, police and prosecutors said.
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According to the detective, Settles got into a physical altercation just before the shooting. In that altercation, another man allegedly flashed a gun. About a minute later, Settles fired a gun three times. No one was hit by the gunfire.
The judge found probable cause on all five charges, including attempted malicious wounding.
Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano said the incident was incredibly scary and he can only imagine how people inside the mall felt.
“People need to know that you cannot come into Fairfax County, shoot up a mall and expect to walk out with anything other than a very, very stiff prison sentence,” Descano said.
Settles has been held without bond since the shooting. If convicted, he faces up to 43 years in prison. He's due back in court on Sept. 22.
