International travel is currently booming. The number of U.S. travelers who left for international destinations this April was 10.6% higher than in April 2019, according to data from the Commerce Department.

For folks who don’t have a passport, it might be too late to join the international travel palooza. The State Department estimates standard passport processing times at 10 to 13 weeks. And expedited processing can take seven to nine weeks. Even if you have a passport, check the expiration date because some countries require passports to be valid at least six months beyond your trip dates.

Whether it’s too late or too costly to consider international travel, there are still plenty of places to travel without a passport.

Here are five places to go without a passport this summer.

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1. Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Getty Images)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Puerto Rico took off in popularity for both leisure travel and remote work. 2022 was its strongest year in tourism history, generating roughly $8.9 billion in tourism revenue, a 39% increase over the previous 2019 high, according to Discover Puerto Rico, the territory’s tourism board.

Visitors can enjoy beautiful beaches, experience delicious culinary adventures and attend numerous summer festivals, such as El Festival de las Flores and Festival del Mojo Isleño.

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2. California

Solvang, California. (Getty Images)

For a taste of Europe without a passport, head to Solvang, California. Also known as “The Danish Capital of America,” Solvang is famous for its thatched roofs, traditional windmills, Scandinavian handcrafts, museums, restaurants and shops.

San Francisco’s Chinatown. (Getty Images)

San Francisco is home to the country’s oldest and largest Chinatown. Tourists can meander down Grant Street, framed by the iconic Dragons Gate, and visit the China Live marketplace or the Red Blossom Tea Company.

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3. U.S. Virgin Islands

Cruz Bay, St. John in U.S. Virgin Islands. (Getty Images)

The U.S. Virgin Islands have been an official U.S. territory since 1917, so a passport is not required for U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland.

This Caribbean destination consists of three islands — St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas. Each is among the best tropical places to visit, not just for its breathtaking beaches, but for its culture and history.

This summer marks the 69th year of the St. John Celebration — three weeks of food festivals, boat races, parades and more on the island of St. John. It begins on June 10 and encompasses Emancipation Day, a local holiday on July 3 commemorating the abolition of slavery.

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4. Florida

The 2023 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival runs through July 5, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Disney)

Orlando, Florida hosted 74 million visitors in 2022, making it America’s most visited travel destination that year, according to Visit Orlando, the destination’s official tourism association. Perhaps the fact that Disney World is cheaper than Disneyland has something to do with it.

If you’re into a relaxed island vibe, consider Florida’s southernmost point, Key West. According to Hotels.com, average hotel prices in Key West between June and August are 15% lower this year than last year. There are hotel deals in the northern part of the state too. Room rates in Panama City are averaging 10% cheaper this summer versus last.

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5. Hawaii

Iolani Palace served as the official royal residence until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893. (Getty Images)

For folks looking to experience a new culture, consider Hawaii, the only U.S. state with two official languages.

Visit Oahu’s Polynesian Cultural Center, which offers cultural presentations including lauhala weaving, poi tasting and an evening luau that pays tribute to Hawaii’s last ruling monarch, Queen Liliuokalani.

Hawaii tourism is making a comeback. The number of ​visitors arriving to the Hawaiian Islands this March was up 14.2% from last March, according to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Do you need a passport to fly in the U.S.?

You don’t necessarily need to flash a passport at U.S. airport checkpoints in order to travel, but adults ages 18 or older do need some sort of valid identification. Other valid forms of identification include:

• Border crossing card.
• Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, Nexus, Sentri, Fast).
• Permanent resident card.
• Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards.

And as of May 7, 2025, state-issued IDs or licenses must be REAL ID compliant when used at airport checkpoints. If your license isn’t compliant by then, the Transportation Security Administration will accept other forms of valid identification — including passports.

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RICHMOND — Seven people were shot, two fatally, when gunfire rang out Tuesday outside a downtown theater in Richmond, Virginia, where a high school graduation ceremony had just ended, causing hundreds of attendees to flee in panic, weep and clutch their children, authorities and witnesses said.

A 19-year-old suspect tried to escape on foot but was arrested and will be charged with two counts of second-degree murder, Interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said during a nighttime news conference at which he confirmed the two fatalities.

Five others were wounded by the gunfire outside the state capital’s city-owned Altria Theater, which is across the street from a large, grassy park and in the middle of the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. At least 12 others were injured or treated for anxiety due to the mayhem, according to police.

“As they heard the gunfire, it was obviously chaos,” Edwards said. “We had hundreds of people in Monroe Park, so people scattered. It was very chaotic at the scene.”

Edwards said one of the people who was killed was an 18-year-old male student who had just graduated, while the other was a 36-year-old man who was there for the graduation. Their names were not released, but police believe the suspect, who was not immediately identified, knew at least one of the victims.

“This should have been a safe space. People should have felt safe at a graduation,” Edwards said.

“It’s just incredibly tragic that someone decided to bring a gun to this incident and rain terror on our community.”

Six people were brought to VCU Medical Center and their conditions ranged from serious to critical late Tuesday, VCU Health System spokesperson Mary Kate Brogan said.

Multiple handguns were recovered. Police initially said two suspects were detained, but Edwards said later that they determined one of them was not involved.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney vowed to ensure anyone responsible faces justice.

“This should not be happening anywhere,” Stoney said.

Officers inside the theater, where the graduation ceremony for Huguenot High School had been taking place, heard gunfire around 5:15 p.m. and radioed to police stationed outside, who found multiple victims, Edwards said.

School board member Jonathan Young told Richmond TV station WWBT that graduates and other attendees were leaving the building when they heard about 20 gunshots in rapid succession.

“That prompted, as you would expect, hundreds of persons in an effort to flee the gunfire to return to the building,” Young said.

“It materialized in a stampede,” he said.

Two people were treated for falls; one juvenile was struck by a car and sustained injuries that were not life-threatening; and nine people were treated at the scene for minor injuries or anxiety, according to police spokeswoman Tracy Walker.

Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said the new graduates were outside taking photos with families and friends when the shooting broke out.

“I don’t have any more words on this,” Kamras said. “I’m just tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot. And I beg of the entire community to stop, to just stop.”

As he heard the gunshots and then sirens, neighbor John Willard, 69, stepped onto the balcony of his 18th-floor apartment. Below, he saw students fleeing in their graduation outfits and parents hugging children.

“There was one poor woman in front of the apartment block next to ours who was wailing and crying,” Willard said, adding that the scene left him deeply saddened.

Edythe Payne was helping her daughter sell flowers outside the theater to students as they left the ceremony. She told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the shooting caused a panic on nearby Main Street, which was packed with people at the time.

“I felt bad because some elderly people were at the graduation and they got knocked down to the ground,” Payne said.

The school district said a different graduation scheduled for later Tuesday had been canceled “out of an abundance of caution” and schools would be closed Wednesday.

The mass shooting, the latest in a nation increasingly accustomed to them, prompted calls for reform.

“The gun violence epidemic is a public health crisis that we must address,” U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, a Democrat whose district includes Richmond, said in a statement. “We cannot continue to live in fear. We must address the root causes of gun violence and pass common sense gun safety policies that protect our communities.”

Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, an ardent gun-rights advocate, said in remarks to news outlets near the scene that the problem lies not with guns but with criminals.

“We have to figure out what’s going on in our communities,” she said.

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Associated Press journalists Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed to this report.

POQUOSON – In a surprisingly high-scoring state quarterfinal, Princess Anne netted three goals in a five-minute span of the first half and overtook Kecoughtan 6-3 in a Class 5 boys soccer tournament game Tuesday night.

And it took an unexpected scoring threat from the Cavaliers to finish the job.

Kishin Togashi, who entered the match with two goals in 12 games, doubled his total output Tuesday with four goals, much to the surprise of his coach and teammates.

“We didn’t know that Kishin was such a scoring machine,” Princess Anne coach Sonny Travis said to his victorious team shortly afterward.

Princess Anne faces the Albemarle-Douglas Freeman winner at 11 a.m. Friday at Riverside High in Leesburg. Albemarle and Freeman will meet Wednesday night.

Togashi, a sophomore, opened the scoring in the 11th minute.

Kecoughtan (14-2-3) wasted little time countering, and two minutes later, defender Rama Clements got tripped up to set up a free kick. While Clements remained prone on the field, teammate Trey Barrett scooped up the ball, placed it on the turf and delivered a perfect bender over the Princess Anne goalie’s outstretched arms and just inside the left post.

The Warriors’ next goal put them in the lead for the first time. Brian Cho gained control of a rebound off a Cavaliers player and sent a scorching liner from the left side to right, but inside the net.

Just before halftime, Togashi caught fire, scoring twice in two minutes to swing the momentum, and lead, back to Princess Anne. Michal Korba delivered on the tail end of a two-on-two break to up the Cavs’ lead to 4-2 before Barrett’s penalty kick cut the margin to 4-3 at halftime.

“I just felt it today,” said Togashi, who headed in a fourth goal early in the second half to give Princess Anne (15-4-1) a needed insurance goal. “I’m usually more of a setup guy.”

The midfielder was happy about the timing for his scoring outburst.

“We didn’t have the greatest of starts, so I wanted to lead by example,” Togashi added.

Freshman Josiah Roberts completed the scoring in the game’s 68th minute, and the Cavaliers’ defense held strong, keeping Kecoughtan scoreless in the second half.

“Our guys just battled today,” Travis said. “We had to do two things — win our punts and stop them in transition. We did both.”

VIRGINIA BEACH — The defending Class 5 state boys soccer champions started their quest for back-to-back titles with a win Tuesday.

Cox, the recent Region A champion and 2022 state champion, beat Granby 4-1 in the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

“The message is simple,” Cox coach Santo Ripa said. “We’ve been here before. We know how difficult of a task it is for us to accomplish. But we also recognize it’s an opportunity. And for me, that’s all we need. And so we’re going to hunt, we’re going to chase and we’re going to try to get the repeat, and that’s what everybody wants to do.”

Cox plays the host Riverside Rams on Friday in a 1:30 p.m. semifinal in Leesburg.

The Falcons wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, scoring just five minutes in.

Junior Josh Haggerty scored first, and senior Robbie Reynolds followed with a goal three minutes later.

Cox controlled possession for the first half, letting Granby get only one or two legitimate scoring opportunities.

While Granby was struggling to create offense in the first half, Cox had an abundance of it. The Falcons kept the Granby goalkeeper busy.

Haggerty’s second goal put Cox up 3-0 at halftime.

“Haggerty played well,” Ripa said. “He started a little slow, got into his groove a little bit as time went on. Same with Robbie — Robbie is an interesting player. He comes and goes in moments, however his hold-up play is good. Haggerty’s vision with depth is good. So they played well. We’re very happy to have them both in good form.”

The dormant Granby attack woke up briefly in the second half.

Sophomore Diddier Martinez needed only 30 seconds in the second half to get the Comets their first and only goal.

“It’s frustrating from our perspective because we go into the half with a lead — and this has been a little bit of a story for the season — we concede early in the half, and for us that’s a problem,” Ripa said. “So it’s a little frustrating from a coaching perspective. From a team perspective, it happens, we salvaged it, finished the game. However, it doesn’t taste good, that number one doesn’t look good to me. We expect more.”

Roughly 10 minutes after Martinez’s goal, Reynolds responded for Cox.

Junior Dax Booth took the ball on a breakaway and drove the ball almost the entire length of the field before crossing it to Reynolds for a 4-1 lead.

“There was a lot of space,” Reynolds said. “Dax and I link really, really well — that’s what we noticed kind of early in the season during training and during games, and now that he plays underneath me at the 10, it’s been working really well. And Josh is just class, he puts them in the net we need him to.”

Michael Sauls, [email protected], (757) 803 5755

By TRÂN NGUYỄN and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ (Associated Press)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration said Tuesday that three dozen migrants whom the state flew from the U.S. southern border to California on private planes all went willingly, disputing allegations by California officials that the individuals were coerced to travel under false pretenses.

The admission of responsibility — five days after the first flight touched down in California’s capital — only served to heighten tensions between DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, his frequent political sparring partner.

Two planes arrived in Sacramento, on Friday and Monday, each carrying asylum-seekers mostly from Colombia and Venezuela. The individuals had been picked up in El Paso, Texas, taken to New Mexico and then put on charter flights to California’s capital of Sacramento, said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. He is investigating whether any violations of criminal or civil law occurred.

Alecia Collins, a spokeswoman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said in a statement that “through verbal and written consent, these volunteers indicated they wanted to go to California.” She also shared a video compilation that appeared to show people signing consent forms and thanking officials for treating them well.

The clips had no time stamps, and Collins declined to share additional details about when and where they were recorded. Representatives from Sacramento ACT and PICO California, two religious groups helping the migrants in Sacramento, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment about whether the migrants in the videos were the same as those they were helping.

Bonta told CNN late Tuesday he would be requesting that Florida turn over any video footage, unedited, that it has of the group. A spokeswoman for his office could not confirm if any of the people seen in the video were among the migrants Bonta met.

This isn’t the first time DeSantis’ administration has transported migrants from Texas to other states. Last fall, Florida flew 49 Venezuelans to the upscale Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard. The move was intended to protest federal immigration policy. DeSantis has said he intends to send migrants who may end up in Florida to states that have immigrant-friendly policies, like California.

It’s not clear whether Florida was the intended destination for any of the people who arrived in California. If so, they would represent just a sliver of the immigrants who arrive in Florida each year.

DeSantis signed a law providing $12 million for his migrant-relocation initiative in early May, just weeks before announcing his Republican presidential bid. He has touted the earlier migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard on the campaign trail.

Newsom, a Democrat, indicated in a tweet Monday that California may consider kidnapping charges against DeSantis. Such charges would likely be extremely difficult to prove, particularly given the migrants signed waivers.

Bonta has not directly said he is considering kidnapping charges. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas on Monday said it had recommended misdemeanor and felony charges for “unlawful restraints” in the transport of migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard. The county district attorney must decide whether to pursue those charges and against whom.

Possible charges aside, Newsom’s office doubled down on its criticism of DeSantis after Florida claimed credit.

“This is exploitative propaganda being peddled by a politician who has shown there are no depths he won’t sink to in his desperate effort to score a political point,” said Anthony York, a spokesman for Newsom.

Though Newsom has no plans to run for president in 2024, he and DeSantis have frequently used each other as political foils as they cast their own governing approach as a model for the nation. Beyond immigration policy, the two have sparred on abortion access, LGBTQ+ and civil rights, and a host of other cultural issues.

On the campaign trail, DeSantis has been eager to slap at progressive policies in Democratic strongholds such as New York and California, claiming that Florida’s population boom in recent years has been driven by people fleeing blue-state policies.

DeSantis is currently positioned as the strongest alternative to former President Donald Trump in the GOP’s crowded primary, although Trump maintains a big lead in early polls.

Bonta, who met with some of the migrants who arrived Friday, said they told him they were approached in El Paso by two women who spoke broken Spanish and promised them jobs. The women traveled with them by land from El Paso to Deming, New Mexico, where two men then accompanied them on the flight to Sacramento. The same men were on the flight Monday, Bonta said.

He said the asylum seekers have court dates in New York, Utah and Colorado and carried a document that “purports to be a consent and release form” that is designed to shield Florida from liability.

“Of course, what’s important is what is actually said and represented and told to the individual, and we’ve got good indications of what that was and the fact that it was false, misleading, and deceptive,” Bonta said.

His office didn’t comment Tuesday following Florida’s assertion that the migrants were not coerced.

Gabby Trejo, executive director of Sacramento ACT, a collaboration of religious congregations in the Sacramento area, said all of the migrants had already been given pending court dates by U.S. immigration officials before they were approached in Texas by people promising jobs. Trejo said that they had been “lied to and deceived.”

It’s not yet clear if the new arrivals in Sacramento plan to stay in California or will eventually seek to go elsewhere, advocates said. Four who arrived on the first flight on Friday have already been picked up by friends or family members, but the rest remain in the care of local advocacy groups. ___

Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida, and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed.

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Find more AP coverage of immigration: https://apnews.com/hub/immigration

No new details emerged Tuesday night regarding what happens next for Virginia Beach Superintendent Aaron Spence, who announced he will be resigning to take over Loudoun County Public Schools in Northern Virginia.

Spence’s contract was discussed during Tuesday night’s meeting in a closed session. Though the board has not made a decision, board chair Trenace Riggs said the board was “on the same page” when it came to certain details such as the need for hiring a firm to help conduct the search.

More details could emerge during Monday’s meeting in which all board members are expected to be present, Riggs said. Board members Michael Callan and David Culpepper were not present Tuesday night.

For now, it is unclear when Spence will move. His contract with Virginia Beach requires him to give six months’ notice if he is to resign. However, the board can waive that.

Spence said earlier Tuesday that his goal is to make the transition “towards the end of the summer.” For now, he has a tentative start date in December, which would be the end of the six-month period if the board choses to not waive the notice requirement.

The Virginia Beach School Board will also need to determine whom to appoint as the interim superintendent and how to conduct the search for the next superintendent.

Spence will step into this new role on the heels of former Loudoun County superintendent Scott Ziegler, who was fired in December following the unsealing of a report by a special grand jury looking into how the division’s administration handled two sexual assaults by the same student.

According to a Loudoun County Public Schools spokesperson, Spence’s contract with the school division is “underway and has not been finalized.”

Kelsey Kendall, [email protected]

A phrase you hear from coaches no matter the sport is “Embrace The Grind.” The Poquoson High baseball team takes that phrase to heart, which was evident Tuesday afternoon.

After struggling one time through the batting order, the Islanders put up 11 runs in the middle three innings, taking advantage of eight walks and a season-best five RBIs from freshman Lucas Power, to defeat East Rockingham 11-3 in a Group 2 state quarterfinal at Firth Field.

Poquoson (18-6-1) advances to the semifinals on Friday at 10 a.m. at Kiwanis Field in Salem against Alleghany.

East Rockingham starter Landon Bruce baffled the Islanders in the first three innings, striking out six of the first 10 batters he faced. He was spotted to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Quinton Hensley walked and went to second on a Will Eppard single before scoring as a Bruce single was misplayed in the outfield.

Poquoson starter Maxim Fritts escaped a couple of tight spots early as the Eagles had runners in scoring position in the second and third innings before being held scoreless.

The Islanders got on the board in the fourth as Kai Baker singled and went to second on a walk by Monroe. Baker Green moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt, and Power drove in both with a single to left for a 2-1 lead. Poquoson broke the game open in the fifth, putting up seven runs on three hits and taking advantage of six walks for a 9-1 lead.

East Rockingham (21-6) plated a run in the sixth, but Poquoson closed its scoring with a pair in its half of the inning. Baker walked and went to third one out later on a double by Green. Both runners scored as Power doubled to the left-field corner.

“It was not a pretty game, but it’s kind of how we play with no superstar on the field,” said Poquoson coach Kenny Bennett. “We just keep grinding and grinding, and figure out a way to be successful. Did enough right and got a couple big hits to give us some separation.”

Baseball

Class 6 quarterfinals

Freedom 12, Grassfield 2

Westfield 4, Lake Braddock 3

Colgan 12, Western Branch 2

James Madison 9, West Springfield 3

Class 5 quarterfinals

Cox 4, Gloucester 3

WP: Colucci. LP: Shackelford.

Aidan Ensogna scored the winning run on a walk-off single by Joe Munitz. Riley DeCandido added a solo home run and an RBI double. Jake Colucci earned the win by throwing four innings in relief.

Nasemond River 6, First Colonial 3

WP: Baker.

Sly Clark had two hits and Caden Mintz had a hit and drove in three runs to pace the Warriors, while Buddy Baker fanned five over 5 2/3 innings to earn the win.

Independence 3, Douglas Freeman 1

Mills Godwin 8, Riverbend 0

Class 4 quarterfinals

Hanover 5, Jamestown 2

James Wood 3, Amherst County 2

Smithfield 5, Mechanicsville 4

James Fitchett pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs, and Ty Hedgepeth got the final two outs to close it. Evan Brobst had two hits and Walton Bondurant scored two runs for the Packers, who play Louisa or Tuscarora at 1 p.m. Friday in a semifinal at Spotsylvania High.

Class 3 quarterfinals

Caroline 7, Lakeland 0

Cave Spring 10, Fluvanna County 0

New Kent 5, Brentsville District 0

Liberty Christian 3, Abingdon 2

Class 2 quarterfinals

Poquoson 11, East Rockingham 3

WP: Fritts. LP: Bruce.

Freshman Lucas Power batted 2 for 3 with five RBIs, a double and two stolen bases. TJ Check was 2 for 3 with an RBI.

Buckingham 11, Randolph-Henry 1

Patrick County 10, John Battle 3

Alleghany 14, Marion 1

Softball

Class 6 quarterfinals

Kellam 4. Colgan 2

WP: Adamek. LP: Grose.

Chloe Jackson hit two home runs for the Knights, including a walk-off blast.

Osbourn Park 1, Grassfield 0

The Grizzlies’ season ended in Northern Virginia.

James Madison 7, Robinson 2

Class 5 quarterfinals

Nansemond River 5, First Colonial 0

Cierra Gawryluk pitched a complete game, and her defense played errorless ball behind her in a quarterfinal win. Gawryluk struck out nine and permitted only two hits, while Cammie Stuffel paced the offense with two hits.

Hickory 12, Granby 11

WP: Miller. LP: Norman.

The Hawks squandered a five-run lead in the top of the seventh, but walked off with a victory in the bottom half. Sydney Clements raced home with the winning run after Alena Demakas’ bunt single and a throwing error by the Comets, sending Hickory to a 1 p.m. semifinal Friday against Riverside at Riverside High in Leesburg.

Granby scored six runs in the top of the seventh to erase a 10-5 deficit with three home runs: a three-run shot by Lovie Norman, solo blast from Cam Hamilton and two-run homer by Shaka Holmes.

Hickory’s Cali Megaro, the Region A Player of the Year, finished with three hits, including a two-run home run. Shannon Coleman and Emily Miller combined for four hits and seven RBIs, and Tegan Gabrielse and Paiton Everett each had two hits.

Woodgrove 10, Clover Hill 0

Riverside 9, Midlothian 5

Class 4 quarterfinals

Hanover 5, Smithfield 1

The Packers grabbed the lead in the top of the second but lost to a Hawks team that has won 45 consecutive games, including 23 this season. Makenzie Ryerson’s two-run homer in the bottom of the second put Hanover ahead, and Brie Wheeler hit a two-run single in the third.

Louisa County 2, Tuscarora 1

Spotsylvania 8, Deep Creek 1

The Knights easily eliminated the Hornets, the surprising Region A champions.

Halifax County 16, James Wood 9

Class 3 quarterfinals

New Kent 18, Skyline 0

Leah Rounds hit a double and a three-run homer, while Hannah Tober hit two doubles and scored four runs. Alline Alexander went 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs.

York 15, Brentsville District 3

Sarah Witt hit three doubles and a grand slam, finishing with seven RBIs, and earned the win in the circle for the Falcons. Mackenzie Hahn was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Brayanna Holland was 3 for 5 with a double and two RBIs.

Cave Spring 11, Broadway 6

New Kent 18, Skyline 0

Morgan Berg pitched a one-hit shutout, striking out seven, for the host Trojans. Leah Rounds went 3 for 4 with a double, a three-run homer and six RBIs. Hannah Tober went 3 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Boys soccer

Class 6 quarterfinals

Kellam 1, Forest Park 0

Carson Stretz scored and Matthew Yates and Will Stanley combined in goal for the shutout in a home victory Tuesday, lifting the Knights into their first state semifinal in program history.

Kellam (18-0) plays Hayfield at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Freedom High in South Riding. The Knights collected their sixth consecutive shutout and eighth in the past nine games.

Landstown at Battlefield, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Lewis 1, Herndon 1 (Lewis wins in penalty kicks)

Hayfield 3, Langley 0

Class 5 quarterfinals

Cox 4, Granby 1 

The Falcons advanced to the semifinals with the win against the Comets.

Princess Anne 6, Kecoughtan 3

Kishin Togashi, who entered the match with two goals in 12 games, doubled his total output Tuesday with four goals.

Riverside 2, Deep Run 1

Class 4 quarterfinals

Jamestown 5, Courtland 0

Max Cooper netted a hat trick for the Eagles, and Peyton Smith and Camden Anderson-Tayman also scored. Five other Eagles had an assist.

Jefferson Forest 2, Tuscarora 1

Smithfield 4, Chancellor 0

The Packers breezed past the Chargers.

Loudoun County 1, Blacksburg 0

Class 3 quarterfinals

Meridian 5, Lafayette 0

The Rams’ season ended against the Northern Virginia school formerly known as George Mason.

Tabb 6, Goochland 0

The Tigers breezed past the Bulldogs.

Charlottesville 6, Bassett 0

Class 2 quarterfinals

Clarke County 4, Arcadia 2

Radford 2, Virginia High of Bristol 1

Poquoson 3, Strasburg 2

The Islanders overcame a 2-0 deficit with three goals in the last 22 minutes.

Glenvar 9, Graham 0

Girls soccer

Class 6 quarterfinals

Colgan 0, Kellam 0 (Colgan wins 3-1 on penalty kicks)

Colgan won a penalty-kick shootout after the teams played to a scoreless tie in regulation and four overtimes. The Knights, who finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in Hampton Roads, suffered their first loss after going 17-0-1 in their first 18 games.

Oakton 1, Fairfax 0

James Madison 2, Lake Braddock 0

Class 5 quarterfinals

Princess Anne 6, Maury 0

Izzy Cobos scored twice as the Region A champion Cavaliers rolled to a win at home. Olivia Braunbeck, Amelia Manke, Audren Barclay and Nina Murthy also scored. Princess Anne, the winner of eight consecutive games, plays Deep Run in a 1:30 p.m. semifinal Friday at Briar Woods High in Ashburn.

First Colonial 5, Nanesmond River 0 

Joryn Wold had a hat trick as the Patriots rebounded from a region championship-game loss with a road victory. Cami Minson scored and had an assist and Kylie White netted a goal. First Colonial (15-2) plays Independence in an 11 a.m. semifinal at Briar Woods High in Ashburn on Friday.

Independence 6, Douglas Freeman 0

Deep Run 1, Stone Bridge 0

Class 4 quarterfinals

Great Bridge 3, Monacan 2

The Wildcats beat the Chiefs.

Western Albemarle 1, James Wood 0

Tuscarora 7, Blacksburg 0

Class 3 quarterfinals

Brentsville District 2, York 1

Charlottesville 3, William Byrd 0

Lafayette 2, Meridian 0

Wilson Memorial 2, Magna Vista 0

Class 2 quarterfinals

Bruton 1, Central Woodstock 0

Kaylah Smith, the region player of the year, scored with one minute to go in the first overtime for the victory. Bruton is making its first appearance in the state semis and the team’s second appearance in the state tournament. The first was last year when the Panthers lost 8-0 to Luray in the first round.

Clarke County 6, Poquoson 1

Glenvar 4, Graham 2

By CURT ANDERSON and FREIDA FRISARO (Associated Press)

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities came under pressure Tuesday to arrest and charge a white woman who fired through her front her door and killed a Black neighbor in a case that has put Florida’s divisive stand your ground law back into the spotlight.

About three dozen mostly Black protesters gathered outside the Marion County Judicial Center to demand that the shooter be arrested in the country’s latest flashpoint over race and gun violence. The chief prosecutor, State Attorney William Gladson, met with the protesters and urged patience while the investigation continues.

“If we are going to make a case we need as much time and as much evidence as possible,” Gladson said. “I don’t want to compromise any criminal investigation and I’m not going to do that.”

Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, was killed in the Friday night shooting that Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said was the culmination of a 2½-year feud between neighbors. The women lived in the rolling hills south of Ocala, a north Florida city that is the heart of the state’s horse country.

Woods said Monday detectives are working with the State Attorney’s Office and must investigate possible self-defense claims before they can move forward with any possible criminal charges. The sheriff pointed out that because of the stand your ground law he can’t legally make an arrest unless he can prove the shooter did not act in self-defense.

On Tuesday, a stuffed teddy bear and bouquets marked the area near where Owens was shot. Nearby, children were riding bikes and scooters, and playing basketball. Protesters chanted “No justice, no peace” and “A.J. A.J. A.J” using Owens’ nickname. They carried signs saying: “Say her name Ajike Owens” and “It’s about us.”

Outside, the Rev. Bernard Tuggerson said the Black community in Ocala has suffered injustices for years. “Marion County is suffering and needs to be healed completely,” he said. “If we don’t turn from our wicked ways of the world, it’s going to be an ongoing problem. We want answers.”

The sheriff said Owens was shot moments after going to the apartment of her neighbor, who had yelled at Owens’ children as they played in a nearby lot. He also said the neighbor, who has not been identified by police, had thrown a pair of skates that hit one of the children.

Deputies responding to a trespassing call at the apartment Friday night found Owens suffering from gunshot wounds. She later died at a hospital.

Before the confrontation, the shooter had been yelling racial slurs at the children, according to a statement from civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Owens’ family. He also represented Trayvon Martin’s family in 2012, when the Black teenager was killed in a case that drew worldwide attention to the state’s stand your ground law.

The sheriff’s office hasn’t confirmed there were slurs uttered or said whether race was a factor in the shooting.

Lauren Smith, 40, lives across the street from where the shooting happened. She was on her porch that day and saw one of Owens’ young sons pacing, and yelling, “They shot my mama, they shot my mama.”

She ran toward the house, and started chest compressions until a rescue crew arrived. She said there wasn’t an altercation and that Owens didn’t have a weapon.

“She was angry all the time that the children were playing out there,” Smith said. “She would say nasty things to them. Just nasty.” Smith, who is white, described the neighborhood is family friendly.

The sheriff said that since January 2021, deputies responded at least a half-dozen calls in connection with what police described as feuding between Owens and the woman who shot her.

“There was a lot of aggressiveness from both of them, back and forth,” the sheriff said the shooter told investigators. “Whether it be banging on the doors, banging on the walls and threats being made. And then at that moment is when Ms. Owens was shot through the door.”

“I’m absolutely heartbroken,” Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, told The Associated Press. She described the fatal shooting as “so senseless.”

“We’ve seen this again and again across this country,” she said, adding that “it’s really because of lax gun laws and a culture of shoot first.”

Ferrell-Zabala said stand your ground cases, which she refers to as “shoot first laws,” are deemed justifiable five times more frequently when a white shooter kills a Black victim.

In 2017, Florida lawmakers updated the state’s self-defense statute to shift the burden of proof from a person claiming self-defense to prosecutors. That means authorities have to rule out self-defense before bringing charges. Before the change in law, prosecutors could charge someone with a shooting, and then defense attorneys would have to present an affirmative defense for why their client shouldn’t be convicted.

In fact, stand your ground and “castle doctrine” cases — which allow residents to defend themselves either by law or court precedent when threatened — have sparked outrage amid a spate of shootings across the country.

In April, 84-year-old Andrew Lester, a white man, shot and injured 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who rang his doorbell in Kansas City after mistakenly showing up at the wrong house to pick up his younger siblings. Lester faces charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action; at trial, he may argue that he thought someone was trying to break into his house, as he told police.

Missouri and Florida are among about 30 states that have stand your ground laws.

The most well-known examples of the stand your ground argument came up in the trial of George Zimmerman, who fatally shot Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman, who had a white father and Hispanic mother, told police that Martin attacked him, forcing him to use his gun in self-defense. He was allowed to go free, but was arrested about six weeks later after Martin’s parents questioned his version of events and then-Gov. Rick Scott appointed a special prosecutor.

Before trial, Zimmerman’s attorneys chose not to pursue a stand your ground claim, which could have resulted in the dismissal of murder changes as well as immunity from prosecution. But during the trial, the law was essentially used as part of his self-defense argument. Jurors found him not guilty.

At a vigil Monday, Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, said that she was seeking justice for her daughter and her grandchildren.

“My daughter, my grandchildren’s mother, was shot and killed with her 9-year-old son standing next to her,” Dias said. “She had no weapon. She posed no imminent threat to anyone.”

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Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale contributed to this report.