In the predawn hours of a Thursday in Newport News, Virginia, the quiet grounds of Saunders Elementary School became a scene of violence that claimed the life of 17-year-old John Lito Nieves. On August 14, 2014, Nieves, a male student who was about to enter his senior year at Warwick High School, was fatally shot in the school's parking lot. He was not alone in his tragic end; his friend and fellow Warwick High student, 16-year-old Bryant Wilder Jr., was also killed in the incident.
A third teenager was wounded in the attack but managed to flee and call for help.
The Newport News Police Department responded to a call about a shooting at approximately 1:30 a.m. and discovered the bodies of Nieves and Wilder near the basketball courts. The investigation swiftly led to a suspect, another 17-year-old named David James Hosley. Hosley was arrested later the same day and faced serious charges for his alleged role in the killings.
Court documents revealed that a 12-gauge shotgun was the weapon used in the double homicide. Hosley was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, one count of aggravated malicious wounding, and possession of a firearm on school property. Further investigation into Hosley's background showed a prior criminal record. In February 2015, a grand jury indicted Hosley on the charges related to the deaths of John Lito Nieves and Bryant Wilder Jr. The motive for the shooting was not made public in the available court documents.
