07-05-2025
More arrests from College Beach Weekend at Oceanfront include use of a machine gun, police say
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Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways
VIRGINIA BEACH — Police announced Wednesday three additional arrests to the slew of 53 made following College Beach Weekend. Two of the three men arrested were charged with use of a machine gun.
Authorities were notified of shots fired at the Oceanfront near the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and 23rd Street on April 27 from a Shotspotter alert and multiple calls to emergency services, police said.
Officers confirmed shots fired at the scene and reported no injuries, according to a Virginia Beach Police Department release.
Following an investigation, police said, arrests were carried out for 23-year-old Nashun Simmons of Hampton, who was charged with multiple felonies including shooting in a public place, destruction of property, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a switch activator and using a machine gun; 22-year-old Jay'nod Harvey of Newport News, who was charged with multiple felonies including wearing a mask in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a trigger activator; and 23-year-old Mark Aranjo of Hampton who was charged with possession of a switch activator and using of a machine gun.
Police seized three guns, one with a trigger switch and extend magazine. Switch activators and trigger switches are generally used to illegally convert a semi-automatic firearm into one that's fully-automatic.
These three arrests bring up the total number from College Beach Weekend up to 56 and the total number of guns confiscated up to at least 31.
College Beach Weekend is an annual informal tradition wherein college students, especially those from the region's Historically Black Universities, gather in crowds at the Oceanfront the last weekend of April. It has long been known to result in occasional violence and numerous arrests.
No additional details were immediately available.
