HU Reacts: Recent Virginia Beach Shootings

Gun violence is on the rise in Virginia Beach as three shootings took place just this past Monday. Between the hours of 2:30 A.M. and 9:30 P.M., shots rang out at three different locations within close proximity to the other. The shootings resulted in the injuries of 6 individuals, three of whom were juveniles, according to WAVY10 News.

WAVY reports on South Budding Ave, the first shooting occurred injuring a boy. Police say he was taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition. It is unclear at the time what led to the shooting.  On Sassafras Ct., a short distance from the first shooting, around 8:30 P.M., two children were shot and are in the hospital with serious injuries. The last shooting took place around 9 P.M. on Haygood Rd– three people were shot, one with serious injuries. 

HU Student and criminal justice major, Camryn Hardin spoke about the importance of reducing gun violence, in response to the recent shootings. 

“The increase in gun violence, as highlighted in the articles, is a highly concerning trend that encroaches on public safety, community health, and human life,” said Hardin. “Reducing gun violence is a multilateral initiative that requires coordination between policymakers, law enforcers, community leaders, and citizens,” she continued. 

As the Virginia Beach Police further investigate the shootings, they continue to make new discoveries that could possibly be in connection with the shootings. The Virginia Beach Chief officer, Chief Neudigate,  says stolen guns from vehicles remain an ongoing issue. Last week, more than 30 cars were broken into in a neighborhood and three guns were reported stolen. 

“About 10% of all cars broken into in the city of Virginia Beach produce a firearm that ends up being possessed or used by someone who should not have it,” Neudigate said. “The vast majority of these guns are introduced into the community because people leave them in their cars.”

That is why state lawmakers of Richmond, VA recently considered a bill that would penalize individuals who leave their guns in plain view inside their vehicles and would also make it a misdemeanor for someone to not report if a gun went missing from their vehicle. 

Unfortunately, residents and lawmakers of Virginia Beach may not see change as soon as they hoped for as the bill was vetoed by Governor Youngkin. Youngkin stated that the bill would unfairly punish victims of crimes committed by others. In response to the veto, Delegate Michael Feggans continues to back the bill and in a statement said, 

“We must prioritize common-sense firearms safety measures to protect all Virginians and I plan on supporting additional measures to keep our kids and our community safe in the next legislative session.”  

In response to the bill HU criminal justice professor, David Taylor commented: 

“Unequivocally, I support the 2nd Amendment and a person’s right to own a firearm to protect oneself, family, and property. Similarly, I also believe a gun owner must act responsibly to prevent a weapon from falling into the hands of untrained youth, criminals, and individuals that have demonstrated an inability to treat a gun with the respect it deserves which, to me, includes proper storage.” 

Taylor urges his students and community members to attend Youth Violence Prevention Week, a week of various events and discussions to spread awareness regarding the violent crimes in the youth community.

“Gun violence is a public health crisis.” “The CDC and other health organizations list homicide as the leading cause of death for African American males between the ages of 17 and 24, and the fourth leading cause of death for African Americans for all age,” Taylor added.

Despite the excessive violence and break-ins, Chief Neudigate emphasized that overall shooting incidents have decreased since last year.