Armed Robbery Attempt Leads To Charges For Gainesville Teens: Police

GAINESVILLE, VA — A pair of 15-year-olds face criminal charges after an armed robbery attempt in Gainesville earlier this month, the Prince William County Police Department said in a report.

The victims, a 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, reported minor injuries.

Authorities did not publicly name the suspects due to a Virginia law that protects the identities of minors. They are both 15-year-old boys from Gainesville, according to the police department.

The teens are charged with attempted robbery and malicious wounding. Their court dates are pending, and they are being held at the Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center.

The attempted robbery occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 10 in the 8800 block of Screech Owl Court in Gainesville, authorities said. The 17-year-old victim was approached by a boy he knew.

The boy then pulled out a firearm and tried to rob the victim. Investigators said the suspect then ran to a vehicle that an acquaintance was driving.

"The victim reported the incident to a 21-year-old family member, who then began to walk towards the vehicle which was parked nearby," the police department said in a report. "As the suspects began driving out of the area, multiple rounds were fired from the vehicle, grazing the 21-year-old male victim."

The victims reported the incident to police, who determined that the firearm was actually a BB gun. No property was stolen in the robbery attempt.

After an investigation, the two suspects were arrested on Tuesday.