Two Hispanic males from Prince William County are in critical condition following a shooting Wednesday night in the Thornburg area of Spotsylvania County that was an apparent hate crime, Spotsylvania Sheriff Roger Harris said.
Douglas Wayne Cornett, a 57-year-old white man from Caroline County was arrested by the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office and Spotsylvania detectives and charged with two counts of malicious wounding and additional firearm violations.
Douglas Cornett
The investigation is ongoing and further charges may be forthcoming.
Cornett was transported to the Rappahannock Regional Jail with no bond.
The shooting occurred in the Sheetz convenience store parking lot in the 5000 block of Mudd Tavern Road.
The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office noted in a release that the shooting was apparently unprovoked and hate/bias related.
“Hate crimes are a stain on our society and have no place in a civilized world,” Harris said. “As a society, we must stand united in denouncing and combating hate crimes in all forms.”
Spotsylvania deputies responded to the scene of the shooting at 9:27 p.m. Two detectives who were in the area arrived and found the men, ages 29 and 45, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both detectives administered first aid until medical personnel arrived. Witnesses and surveillance footage provided law enforcement with a description of the suspect and the vehicle that left the scene.
