A Lorton teen was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm after firing a gun into the ground near homes in a West Springfield neighborhood, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Officers responded to the 5000 block of Hall Street at 5:43 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 5) for a report of a shooting.
“Witnesses told officers they observed a group of men in the neighborhood and one of them discharged a handgun into the ground near several homes,” the department said in a release. “The men left the area in separate vehicles prior to police arrival. No injuries were reported.”
Officers saw the cars not far away and detained the men in the 8600 block of Reseca Lane. While searching the area, they found the handgun. After returning to the original scene to investigate, they determined that the 18-year-old from Lorton was the one who fired the gun.
The teen was released on an unsecured $1,000 bond pending an Oct. 26 adjudicatory hearing, according to Fairfax County General District Court records. Police are asking anyone with information on the case to call detectives at the Criminal Investigations Division at 703-256-8035.
In Virginia, reckless discharge of a firearm is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.
Court records show the teen was also convicted in absentia yesterday (Aug. 6) of offenses from early July: operating a vehicle without insurance, which is a Class 3 misdemeanor, and three traffic infractions related to tinted windows and carrying documents. It’s unclear if the timing of the teen’s arrest the night before affected his ability to attend the court date.
