2 more suspects arrested for shootout that killed 16-year-old girl in Manassas

MANASSAS, Va. - Police have apprehended a second and third suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Ashley Intihar, an innocent bystander killed in the crossfire of a dispute during a crowded downtown festival in Manassas.

What we know:

Manassas City Police Chief Doug Keen announced the arrests of Xavier Wanzer, 19, and Talib Davis, 23, during a press conference on Wednesday.

While investigators initially believed the shootout involved only two gunmen, a review of video and witness statements confirmed a third shooter was involved.

According to police, Wanzer and Davis were together during the incident and exchanged gunfire with the primary suspect, 21-year-old Tasheem Douglas. Investigators confirmed the shooters knew each other and had a history of prior conflict.

With the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, both men were tracked down and arrested separately on Tuesday. Both are charged with malicious wounding, shooting in a public place within 1,000 feet of a school and felony possession of a firearm.

All three suspects are currently being held without bond.

The backstory:

The shooting broke out near the train depot and Foster's Grill during the city's First Friday event, a monthly gathering that draws between 8,000 and 10,000 people. Amid the panic of the gunfire, the 16-year-old victim was fatally struck.

Douglas, whose arrest was announced the day after the shooting, was injured during the shootout and remains hospitalized. He has already been charged with second-degree murder and weapons offenses.

Dig deeper:

The latest arrests have sparked sharp criticism from city leadership regarding the criminal justice system. Chief Keen revealed that Davis was out on bond in Warren County at the time of the shooting.

"He has been released on bond, and yet he came back to this area and committed violence in our community," Keen said during the press conference. "Our streets cannot be safe when we're not securing people that are here, already been arrested, and carrying weapons in our communities."

Douglas was also out on release following an arrest earlier this year for allegedly carrying a firearm on elementary school grounds.

Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger echoed the chief’s frustration, calling on the community to demand legislative action from the General Assembly. 

"We are about rehabilitating youth who want to be rehabilitated. That's what needs to happen. Accountability. And so you turn your anger into action. What are you going to do to help fix the problem of guns? That's what needs to be discussed," Davis-Younger said. "So, I have the same feelings that all of us have here today: we have to get it under control. Somehow.  Everybody doesn't have the answers, but we'll do the best we can going forward."

What's next:

While the violence occurred at a popular gathering spot for local youth, Keen firmly separated the actions of the shooters from the teenagers attending the event, stating that young people socializing in the city had "nothing to do with this event." 

City officials declined to make immediate decisions regarding the cancellation of future First Friday events, stating those discussions will take place in the coming weeks.