VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Ahmon Adams was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday after previously pleading guilty to attempted malicious wounding and other charges in connection to a March 2021 Oceanfront-area shooting.
Adams pleaded guilty in April to felony charges of attempted malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and misdemeanor charges of discharging a firearm in a public place and reckless handling of a firearm in connection to the March 26, 2021 shooting. The misdemeanor charges, according to court records, were reduced from felony charges.
He was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison, with five years suspended on the condition of five years good behavior with supervised probation, leaving 10 years to serve. Adams pleaded guilty on April 18.
The tragic night had three separate shootings, one of them an officer-involved shooting, as well as a hit-and-run of an officer. Two people were killed as a result of the shootings and nine were injured.
Adams was involved in one of the first shooting incidents of the night, and was charged in connection to the first shooting along with three other people: Raswell Steverson, Nyquez Baker, of Virginia Beach and Devon Dorsey Jr., of Virginia Beach. Police said the incident appeared to have begun as a fight between two gangs.
Dorsey told detectives he was feeling threatened by a rival gang out of Norfolk. Dorsey then punched one of the gang members. Video shows someone near that fight pulled out a gun and fired in the direction of Dorsey.
According to court documents, Baker allegedly admitted to shooting into the crowd and handing the gun off to someone else. Nine people — six men and three women — were injured by gunfire during that incident that occurred in the 2000 block of Atlantic Avenue around 11:20 p.m. Three of the people charged in the shooting were all arrested immediately after, with Steverson being charged at a later date.
As police were responding to the shooting incident, Malik Kearney, 25, allegedly hit an officer with a car and was charged with driving under the influence, eluding police and hit-and-run. Court documents state Kearney said he fired shots Friday night out of fear because he was being shot at by other people.
When he hopped in his car to drive away, he hit a police officer, who rolled over the hood of Kearney’s car. Kearney allegedly didn’t stop and was arrested soon after.
The second shooting of the night resulted in the death of 29-year-old Deshayla E. Harris of Norfolk. This incident occurred in the 300 block of 19th Street, and was deemed unrelated to the other incidences of the night. Police said Harris was an innocent bystander.
The final shooting of the night involved a Virginia Beach police officer shooting and killing 25-year-old Donovon W. Lynch of Virginia Beach near a pine tree on the corner of 20th Street and Pacific Avenue. The officer didn’t have a body camera activated for “unknown reasons,” Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate said.
Police said Lynch brandished a gun when police came into contact with him in the 300 block of 20th Street. Lynch was shot and killed.
On Tuesday, a settlement was reached for Lynch’s father and his attorneys regarding the shooting.
In court documents, the city had stated that Lynch was “negligent” in contributing to his injury and death by entering an active shooting situation, crouching behind shrubbery and arming himself with a “lethal weapon.” A grand jury investigation found the shooting was justified, and Officer Solomon Simmons was placed back on duty.
The judge’s order states that Lynch’s father, Wayne Lynch, will receive more than $2 million, while attorneys for Donovon Lynch will get close to $1 million, minus expenses.
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