Virginia girl in critical condition; two men charged after shooting at Nags Head hotel

NAGS HEAD, N.C. (WITN) - A Virginia teenager is in critical condition and two men have been charged in what Nags Head police say was a reported accidental shooting.

It happened around 2:00 a.m. Thursday at the Surf Side Hotel on South Virginia Dare Trail.

Officers say they found a 17-year-old girl with an apparent gunshot wound to her head. The girl, from Dinwiddie County, Virginia, is now in a Virginia hospital with serious injuries.

Police say the shooting happened among a group of friends staying in the hotel and one of the men allegedly mishandled a gun.

Ashton Mills has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and felony obstruction of justice. The 22-year-old from Midlothian, Virginia, remains jailed on a $230,000 secured bond.

Also charged was Joshua Smith with storage of firearms to protect minors. The 23-year-old man, also from Midlothian, was released after posting a $2,500 unsecured bond.

Police say further charges may be forthcoming as they continue to investigate the circumstances that led up to the shooting.

Copyright 2023 WITN. All rights reserved.