Fredericksburg City Public Schools will open two hours late on Wednesday, April 9, in response to a mass shooting that left three people dead and three others hospitalized Tuesday evening in neighboring Spotsylvania County.
School officials announced the delayed opening late Tuesday, citing the âprofound impact this incident has had on members of our school community.â
âWe appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate this together,â the division said in a statement.
The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. in the area of Olde Greenwich Circle, just off Lafayette Boulevard. Deputies with the Spotsylvania County Sheriffâs Office responded to reports of gunfire and found six people suffering from gunshot wounds. Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while three others were taken to area hospitals. Their conditions have not been released.
Law enforcement officials say the investigation remains âactive and fluid,â and no suspects have been arrested. A large police presence continues in the area as detectives work to determine what led to the deadly shooting.
âWe are urging members of the public to avoid the Olde Greenwich Circle area while our investigation continues,â the Sheriffâs Office said in a statement.
The names and ages of the victims have not been released.
Potomac Local News will continue to follow this developing story.
At 5:30 p.m., the Spotsylvania Sheriffâs Office responded to reports of a shooting in the area of Olde Greenwich Circle, just off Layfaette Boulevard. Upon arrival, deputies discovered multiple individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.
Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while three others were transported to nearby hospitals with unknown conditions. The identities and ages of the victims have not yet been released.
The incident has prompted a large police presence in the area as investigators work to determine what led up to the shooting. No suspects have been arrested as of this report, and law enforcement officials say the situation remains âactive and fluid.â
âWe are urging members of the public to avoid the Olde Greenwich Circle area while our investigation continues,â the Sheriffâs Office said in a statement.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Stay with Potomac Local News for continuing coverage of this developing story.
At Old Mill Park along the Rappahannock River, there are spots where the mowers can't reach, and to send a landscape professional in there with a weed whacker could be dangerous, so Fredericksburg has sent in the goats.
They munch the weeds until the job is done, leave a bit of organic fertilizer, and then jump on the truck to the next job, clearing invasive species at the following location.
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As Fredericksburg city officials weigh budget cuts, tax increases, and federal funding uncertainties, one possible source of future financial relief came up during a joint City Council and School Board budget work session: a data center under development in Celebrate Virginia South.
Councilman Jon Gerlach (At-Large) asked whether the city could receive advance personal property tax payments from Stack Infrastructure, the company behind the project. The goal: explore whether Fredericksburg could tap into future revenue sooner to help offset current budget pressures.
City Manager Tim Baroody said such relief is unlikely in the near term.
âItâs a long shot⊠but we may have clarity by the end of the year,â Baroody said during the April 1 meeting.
The city is negotiating a water services agreement with Stack Infrastructure, which is expected to continue through the end of 2025. Even if the agreement moves forward on schedule, Baroody said any infrastructure-related prepayments would not translate into operational revenue for the city for several more fiscal years.
Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley added that while early payments are not off the table, they would require a highly specific and favorable alignment of circumstances.
Josh Summits, Fredericksburgâs Director of Economic Development, is reviewing how other Virginia localities structure data center agreements, including options for revenue-sharing and the timing of tax collections.
The conversation surfaced amid a challenging fiscal outlook. The city has proposed a 3-cent real estate tax rate increase to maintain essential services and fund public schools. At the same time, city and school officials are navigating a $1.5 million funding gap and the threat of reduced or eliminated federal grant support.
The Fredericksburg City Council approved the Stack Infrastructure project in early March. At the time, questions were raised over whether Dominion Energy would prioritize this data center’s power needs over those of new residential or commercial developments in the region.
Despite the uncertainty, council members and school leaders pledged to continue working together to meet the needs of Fredericksburgâs residents.
Domestic Dispute Turns Violent in Coverstone IV Apartments
At 10:10 p.m. on Friday, March 29, police were called to the Coverstone IV Apartments on Cass Place for a domestic incident. A 27-year-old woman told officers that her acquaintance, Micah Emmanuel Ragin, 30, of Kannapolis, N.C., assaulted and strangled her during an argument. The man also allegedly threatened her with a knife. Police obtained warrants for Ragin, who remains at large. He is wanted for strangulation, attempted malicious wounding, and domestic assault and battery.
Instagram Sale Leads to Armed Robbery
Early Saturday morning, March 30, a 21-year-old man reported being robbed at gunpoint during a meet-up to sell clothing through Instagram. The robbery occurred on Croce Court, also in the Coverstone IV Apartments. The buyer pulled a firearm and, with the help of an accomplice, stole clothing, money, and a firearm. No injuries were reported. The suspects fled before police arrived.
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Public transportation in Northern Virginia is seeing a significant rebound as ridership continues to climb on both Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains and OmniRide commuter and local buses. However, transit leaders warn that increased demand may soon outpace available resources, especially for locally funded services.
During its March 2025 meeting, the VRE Operations Board reported that ridership in February topped 152,000 tripsâdespite only 19 service days and early-month weather disruptions. March figures are on pace to surpass that total significantly. With only 14 service days logged by mid-month, March had already recorded more than 162,000 trips. Average weekday ridership has climbed to more than 11,500 trips.
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One of Fredericksburgâs most popular parks will transform into an eco-celebration zone on Saturday, April 26, as the city hosts its annual Earth Day Festival at Old Mill Park.
Now in its 20th year, the festival draws thousands of attendees and celebrates environmental awareness through hands-on activities, live entertainment, and eco-friendly vendors.
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Governor Glenn Youngkin visited Stafford County on Friday, highlighting more than 250,000 open jobs across Virginiaâeven as concerns mount over federal job cuts. Speaking at SimVentions, an engineering and technology services firm in Stafford, Youngkin told the crowd, âVirginia has jobs. Lots of jobs.â
The event, hosted at SimVentionsâ headquarters, was organized with the help of State Senator Tara Durant (R-28, Fredericksburg, Stafford), who said the initiative behind the stateâs jobs rollout has been years in the making.
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Fredericksburg is getting ready to paint the town red, white, and blue to honor its hometown heroesâthe Fredericksburg Nationalsâafter their 2024 Carolina League Championship victory.
Fans are invited to join the Carolina League Championship Celebration and Ring Ceremony on Monday, April 7, at noon at Riverfront Park in downtown Fredericksburg. The event will honor the FredNats' thrilling 2024 season and their second league title since the team's arrival in the city.
