Affidavit: Suspect fired gun into crowd at Churchville party

STAUNTON — An affidavit for a search warrant filed by the Augusta County Sheriff's Office has offered a few more details in a weekend shooting that saw two teenagers hit by gunfire at a party in Churchville.

Both victims were seriously injured. Two cousins are under arrest.

The sheriff's office said the shooting took place near the intersection of Buffalo Gap Highway and Churchville Avenue shortly after 10:35 p.m. on Saturday. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found two girls, ages 17 and 19, shot in the legs. Both were taken to UVA Health in Charlottesville, the affidavit said.

Isaiah J. Cassell, 21, of Mount Solon, and Matthew T. Cassell, 20, of West Augusta, were eventually arrested. Both are facing multiple charges.

According to the affidavit, the sheriff's office seized a .45-caliber handgun along with three spent shell casings. Eight unspent rounds were also collected from two magazines.

Court documents show that Isaiah Cassell is suspected of opening fire from the passenger's side of a Ford Mustang that sped away from the scene. The affidavit said the Mount Solon man allegedly took a handgun out of a holster and began shooting "towards the crowd."

Isaiah Cassell is charged with three counts of felony use of a firearm in a threatening manner while committing or attempting to commit an aggravated malicious wounding, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, and one count of attempted malicious wounding.

Matthew Cassell is charged with three counts of violating conditions of bond, three counts of being an accessory before the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and two counts of being an accessory before an aggravated malicious wounding, according to the sheriff's office. He had been free on a personal recognizance bond after being charged last month with misdemeanor petty larceny in Staunton.

Both men are being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona.

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Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Affidavit: Suspect fired gun into crowd at Churchville party