Fourth suspect arrested, teen sought in Manassas Mall shooting – NBC4 Washington

A fourth suspect has been arrested and an 18-year-old man is wanted in connection with the shooting that left two people injured and sent shoppers into a panic at the Manassas Mall in northern Virginia.

According to Prince William County police, shots were fired in the mall parking lot Tuesday afternoon after a fight broke out in the food court.

Eric Ronaldo Benitez, 22, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two counts of intentional assault, intentional discharge of a firearm in a public place and use of a firearm in the commission of a crime.

Police are still searching for a fifth suspect, 18-year-old Tayvion Omari Thornton of Woodbridge.

Daevon Russell and Joshuah Minas Hernandez, both 18 and of Manassas, were previously arrested and charged with two counts of malicious wounding, shooting at an inhabited structure and other firearms offenses, police said Wednesday.

Skyler James Agley, 23, of Manassas was arrested and charged with willful assault, shooting into an inhabited structure, willful discharge of a firearm in public and use of a firearm during a crime.

‘Running and screaming’: Shoppers hid after hearing gunshots

Several suspects pulled out guns during the fight in the mall’s food court, police said. The suspects began shooting at each other and the fight spilled into the mall’s parking lot, police said.

A 51-year-old man who was not involved in the fight was hit in the upper body and taken to a hospital, police said.

Agley, one of the suspects, was shot and taken to a hospital by acquaintances after the shooting, police said. He remained in police custody at the hospital on Wednesday.

Customers in the food court reported hearing gunshots before seeing people running.

“All of a sudden everyone was running out of the food court screaming, and then we heard five gunshots,” said Doris Morales, who was at the mall with her two daughters. “And then I just pushed my girls into Victoria’s Secret.”

One customer said he did not hear the gunshots, but told News4 he was inside a store when the gates lowered and customers were told to move to the back and take cover.

No shots were fired inside the shopping center, police said.

Shortly after 2 p.m., officers searched the area with sniffer dogs and found several firearms, police said. Multiple police agencies and a Fairfax County police helicopter were on the scene.

Police initially arrested Russell and Minas Hernandez during a traffic stop shortly after the shooting.

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