Charges have been dropped against a second man accused in the chaotic March shooting along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront that left six bystanders wounded, even as police publicly voiced their disappointment with how the case has unfolded. The shooting erupted shortly before 10 p.m. on March 7 near Atlantic Avenue, in the heart of the Oceanfront strip, when a confrontation over a handgun turned into a burst of gunfire that sent six people, all in their late teens to early 20s, to area hospitals.
According to 13News Now, 19-year-old Andrew Anthony had charges connected to the shooting withdrawn. That account differs from reporting by WTKR, which lists Anthony among four men who remain charged in connection with the shooting alongside Alex Scott Jr., Ba'Shaun Williams and Jamari Horton. The conflicting accounts have not been independently resolved, and it remains unclear which version reflects Anthony's current case status.
Cavalcante's 18 Felony Charges Set Aside
The case that triggered the latest headlines involves Matheus Cavalcante, who originally faced 18 felony charges tied to the shooting, including six counts of reckless handling of a firearm, six counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and five counts of aggravated malicious wounding, according to WAVY. A judge confirmed those charges were nolle prossed, a disposition that could allow prosecutors to revive them later, the station's report notes.
Special prosecutor Nate Green told WAVY's Chris Horne that he reviewed surveillance video and concluded Cavalcante was in mortal danger, began firing during that danger, and stopped once the threat had passed. Green also told the Virginian-Pilot, as reported by The Virginian-Pilot, “I could not determine that Matheus Cavalcante acted either with malice or recklessness.” Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate has said the shooting began when someone attempted to steal Cavalcante's handgun.
Police Push Back on the Decision
The decision did not sit well with Virginia Beach police leadership. Neudigate said in a statement carried by the same WAVY report, “The Virginia Beach Police Department is profoundly disappointed by the special prosecutor's decision today.” The remark underscores a rift between investigators and the special prosecutor over how the mortal-danger evidence should have been weighed.
Search-warrant documents reviewed by WTKR describe surveillance footage showing four men approaching another man and attempting to rob him of his gun before the gunfire broke out. Officers initially found five victims at the scene, and detectives later identified a sixth gunshot victim who arrived at a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. All six were expected to recover, per the same documents.
Remaining Suspects Head Back to Court
The remaining defendants' preliminary hearings, originally scheduled earlier, were continued until Thursday, October 1, 2026, per WAVY's reporting. According to 13News Now, Jamari Horton, Alex Scott Jr. and Ba'Shaun Williams now face nine charges each, after some initial charges were dropped or amended.
Separately, WTKR has reported that Anthony was granted a $50,000 bond as his attorney laid out details of his defense. Whether that bond reflects an active case or one that has since been resolved is among the unanswered questions in a shooting investigation that has already produced two very different outcomes for the men originally charged.
