VIRGINIA BEACH — The last of five gang members charged in the slaying of an 18-year-old Bayside High School football player was found guilty last week of his role in the crime.
Multiple members of the Spazz gang fired nearly 50 rounds into a car they believed was occupied by a rival gang on June 14, 2021, killing Damion Julio Rodriguez-Kirkland.
At the end of a four-day trial in Virginia Beach Circuit Court, a jury convicted Hassan Abdul Johnson, 22, of second-degree murder, maliciously shooting into an occupied vehicle, participating in a crime for the benefit of a gang, and illegal use of a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Johnson’s co-defendants — Nasir Nesshon Thomas, Zion Maleek Urquhart, Omari Andre Green, and Malachi Isaiah Handy — previously had been tried and sentenced. All are Norfolk residents, except for Green, who is from Virginia Beach. Their prison terms ranged from 12 to 68 years.
Rodriguez-Kirkland, an outside linebacker and defensive end, was shot in the head and died several days later. He was set to graduate the day after the shooting, according to a statement released by prosecutors.
On the night of the shooting, the Spazz gang members were breaking into vehicles in the Lake Edward area, and riding in two stolen vehicles when they spotted a car occupied by Rodriguez-Kirkland and three Bayside teammates.
Green told his group, “There’s the opps,” referencing opposing gang members, according to the statement. The Bayside football players, however, were not in a gang, and didn’t know any of the men who shot at them, the statement said.
The Spazz members opened fire on the group’s car as it was driving, firing close to 50 shots. Rodriguez-Kirkland’s teammates jumped out of the vehicle and ran. None were struck.
Cellphone records placed the gang members together throughout the night, and at the scene of the shooting, according to the statement. Several firearms were recovered during the investigation, and some of the defendants were linked to the shooting through DNA evidence. Portions of the incident also were captured on doorbell cameras.
Each of the five gang members was tried separately, with the first going to trial in November. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Megan Lang prosecuted all five cases.
Thomas, 20, and Green, 23, were found guilty by different juries of many of the same charges as Johnson. Both were sentenced by Circuit Judge James C. Lewis, with Thomas getting 68 years in prison, and Green 35.
Urquhart, 22, and Handy, 23, pleaded guilty to their roles in the shooting. Lewis sentenced Urquhart to 22 years, and Circuit Judge Afshin Farashahi sentenced Handy to 12. Handy was the only defendant not convicted of a murder charge.
The investigation and prosecution were the result of years of effort by Virginia Beach police and prosecutors, the statement said.
“This case highlights the importance of the partnership between law enforcement and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office,” Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin Stolle said in the statement. “Working together, we removed a group of very dangerous criminals from our city, and the family of a victim of senseless gun violence received justice.”
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
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