Five bullets through the door and into a 17-year-old’s body during a “drug deal gone bad” led to the death of one boy and the arrest of another.
Authorities said a 17-year-old Grafton High student — whose name cannot be released due to his age — is suspected of fatally shooting 17-year-old Dylan Peters in his home on the 200 block of Cattail Lane in Tabb around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Peters came outside to his porch and had a “brief discussion” with the suspect before quickly retreating back inside the house, York-Poquoson Sheriff J.D. “Danny” Diggs said in a press conference Thursday afternoon.
When Peters attempted to shut the door, the suspect shot five bullets into the door with a .40 caliber handgun. All five shots went through the door and hit Peters, who had wounds to his chest, shoulder, leg and hand, Diggs said.
The alleged shooter, who authorities believe tried to rob Peters of drugs and money, then ran away.
“Although we never want to blame victims, nor does anyone deserve to die, we cannot ignore the fact that engaging in dangerous activity certainly increases the likelihood of being involved in a violent crime,” Diggs said.
After combing the area Tuesday night and Wednesday, questioning several people and pursuing other leads, authorities contacted the suspect, who came to the Sheriff’s Office voluntarily with his parents around 10 p.m. Wednesday where he was arrested.
Diggs said the teen was “somewhat cooperative”with authorities.
The 17-year-old boy, an acquaintance of Peters, is charged with second-degree murder, attempted robbery and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
“There certainly is a possibility that others may be involved in this at least in a planning process, or had some direct knowledge, so our investigation continues,” Diggs said.
The 17-year-old suspect, who Diggs said may be tried as an adult, is currently being held without bond at the Merrimac Trail Detention Center. His bond hearing is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 5.
Diggs praised his deputies for gathering information in a short time span.
The tenacity of our investigators is what solved this case,” he said. “We had to ask a lot of people a lot of different questions.”
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