A Norfolk man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to committing a hate crime after going on a rampage in the Alden Heights neighborhood last fall.
Daniel Joseph Ferguson Jr., 28, brandished a rifle at his neighbors and shot into another neighbor’s vehicle last year.
Court records show that on Sept. 3, 2023, Ferguson roamed the neighborhood with an AR-style rifle.
On Boxwood Circle, Ferguson rummaged through one neighbor’s vehicle. The neighbor noticed Ferguson and went outside to confront him. Ferguson pointed his rifle at the neighbor, and the neighbor backed away until he left the property.
Ferguson then trespassed in the back yard of a Noble Street home while the family living there was outside. Ferguson approached the Brazilian family, pointed his rifle at them, threatened to kill them and told them to “get off my land.” The family members scrambled to hide from Ferguson, and he went around to the front of the home and tapped on the windows with his rifle before departing.
After that incident, a driver slowed down at a nearby stop sign, noticed Ferguson standing several feet away with his rifle at the ready and drove off. As the driver went through the intersection, Ferguson fired one round through the rear window of the vehicle. The bullet missed the driver and lodged in the passenger door, and the shattered glass injured the driver.
The driver and several other neighbors who observed Ferguson on his rampage in the neighborhood called 911, and numerous Norfolk police officers arrived to take Ferguson into custody.
While Ferguson was being transported to the Norfolk City Jail, patrol car video captured Ferguson saying racial epithets in reference to minority groups as well as urging the officers to let him go so he may hunt and kill those minority groups.
Ferguson was granted a secured bond over the Commonwealth’s objection during a hearing in general district court.
Later the same day, the commonwealth’s attorney’s office secured an emergency substantial risk order from a Norfolk magistrate that temporarily barred Ferguson from possessing any firearm. The Commonwealth successfully argued in a subsequent circuit court hearing that Ferguson’s bond be revoked and that his emergency substantial risk order be extended.
On Wednesday, Ferguson pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor brandishing, one count of misdemeanor hate crime assault, one count of felony attempted malicious wounding and one count of felony shooting into an occupied vehicle.
In exchange for Mr. Ferguson’s plea, the Commonwealth agreed not to pursue a charge of using a firearm in attempting to commit malicious wounding.
Judge Everett A. Martin Jr. accepted Ferguson’s plea agreement. There is no agreement to sentence. Ferguson’s sentencing hearing will be held on Sept. 27.
“Hate has no home in Norfolk, and those who commit hate crimes will face serious consequences in our courts,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi.
“Virginia’s red flag law helped us protect our community up front, as did our determination to have Mr. Ferguson held as a danger to the community. We welcome people from all walks of life to our city, and my prosecutors and I will ask for a sentence to fit Mr. Ferguson’s prejudiced, dangerous and unacceptable behavior.”
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Crystal Graham
