Two plead guilty in fatal Highland Springs shooting

Two Highland Springs men face sentencing in January after pleading guilty yesterday to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Wazira Harris.

Harris, an 18-year-old senior at Highland Springs High School, died of a bullet to the back April 27 after a large group of youths started fighting and shooting in the 300 block of East Beal Street a few blocks from the high school.

Harris' death followed an exchange of words and as many as eight gunshots from two weapons, according to witnesses at the scene and court testimony.

Brandon T. Garlick, now 20, and James A. Jones, now 24, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in a case complicated by a lack of proof of what weapon caused Harris' death. The bullet that killed her was not located.

Both defendants acknowledged firing a gun but said they fired blindly and were threatened themselves, according to testimony in the case.

They will be sentenced Jan. 12 and face up to 10 years in prison. -- Bill McKelway