In the early evening of September 19, 2024, chaos erupted in a courtyard in the 1200 block of Wythe Street in Alexandria, Virginia, when gunfire shattered the night. When police arrived at the scene around 8:14 p.m., they discovered a violent tableau. Three individuals had been struck by bullets. Among them was 25-year-old Kwakia Frazier, a male resident of Alexandria, who was critically wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite medical efforts, Frazier succumbed to his injuries. A 46-year-old man was also seriously injured in the barrage of bullets, and a 15-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet but treated at the scene.
The investigation into the deliberate and planned attack unfolded over several months. Authorities revealed that the assailants had opened fire with multiple stolen handguns. A significant breakthrough in the case came from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Ballistic evidence, specifically shell casings recovered from the scene, linked the handguns used in Frazier's murder to other crimes. This connection allowed investigators to identify three teenage suspects: a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds.
In a press conference, the Alexandria Police Chief announced that the three juveniles were already in custody for other incidents when they were charged with the murder of Kwakia Frazier. The charges brought against each of the teens included murder by mob and two counts of malicious wounding by mob. While a specific motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed, police characterized the shooting as a 'purposeful action.' The tragic event marked a profound loss for Frazier's mother, who had lost another son to gun violence just nine months prior.
