UPDATE: Police identify suspect, victim in Farm Fresh shooting

JAMES CITY COUNTY — A 34-year-old man who was shopping Sunday morning at Farm Fresh in James City County was shot and killed by another man, according to officials.

The victim, Gabriel Ryan Maness, of Providence Forge, was shot five times in an aisle and pronounced dead at the scene, James City County Deputy Chief Steve Rubino said.

Police found Brian Alexander Hicks, 55, of Woodbridge, standing about five feet away from Maness when they arrived shortly after 8 a.m., according to documents from Williamsburg-James City County General District Court.

Maness was dead by the time police arrived. Police recovered five shell casings close to both Maness and Hicks, court documents state.

Hicks was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, Rubino wrote in a news release.

Police responded to a report of shots fired inside the grocery store, at 115 Norge Lane, around 8:05 a.m. The James City County SWAT team responded to secure the store.

The suspect was still in the store when police arrived, according to Rubino.

“There is no indication that the victim knew the suspect or that there was any type of altercation between them prior to the shooting,” Rubino said in the news release.

“Gabe was a clean-cut, good guy,” Maness’ cousin, Derek Maness said. “He wasn’t involved with drugs or gangs, he was family oriented. I don’t know why this would happen to him.”

Police said Hicks is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He was armed with a .45-caliber handgun and had two additional loaded magazines in his pocket, according to the release. Police believe Hicks acted alone, although the incident remains under investigation.

No other customers were injured, Rubino said.

Toano resident William Francavilla was in the store, near the produce section, when he heard several “pops” and a person yelling “get out.”

Francavilla said he did not hear an argument or anything unusual before the shots rang out.

“If anyone needs to know something about (the crime), it’s that the employees, customers and police all acted the right way,” Francavilla said. “It took one shooter to do the wrong thing.”

James City County Police, Virginia State Police, York Poquoson Sheriff’s Office and James City County Fire and EMS responded to the scene. Police used a police dog to search Hicks’ car, a silver BMW convertible, for additional weapons or explosives.

Tow trucks removed the suspect’s car and a Jeep from the Farm Fresh parking lot. Hicks’ car was towed to an impound lot, Rubino said.

The store was considered an active crime scene until about 1 p.m., when officers removed crime scene tape from around the store’s parking lot.

Farm Fresh remained closed for the rest of the day Sunday, with plans to reopen Monday morning, Farm Fresh spokesman Jeffrey Swanson said.

“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family tonight,” Swanson said. “As this is a police matter, we are working with and fully supporting the police in their investigation. We’re also working closely with our employees who were understandably shaken by today’s events.”

The Virginia State Police directed traffic at the scene and said they had to redirect quite a few cars coming in the store’s entrance.

According to Rubino, the shooting is the first homicide of the year in James City County.

There have been no homicides in Williamsburg so far this year, Williamsburg Police Department Maj. Greg Riley said.

“I’ve never heard of someone getting shot at a Farm Fresh, especially around here,” resident Jason Campbell said. “I’ve lived here 43 years and never heard of something like this.”

Lanexa resident Brenda Page said she was getting ready to go shopping when she heard about the shooting.

“This is a small community, everyone knows each other,” she said. “These things just don’t happen here.”

Hicks is being held at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail without bond.

Staff writer Austin Bogues contributed to this report. Fearing can be reached by phone at 757-298-5838.