Newport News, Va. - Two teens were shot to death in Newport News on Monday night. It happened in the 800 block of 25th Street just before 10:30 p.m.
Police arrived and found the two teen victims outside of a home. They were pronounced dead at the scene, police say.
The female victim was identified as 13-year-old Jada Richardson of Hampton, and the male victim was identified as 17-year-old Dominigo Santiago Davis, Jr. of Newport News.
Both teens were attending a social gathering at a home on 25th Street when the incident occurred.
Neighbors tell NewsChannel 3 they heard six to nine shots fired.
Newport News Police Chief Richard Myers said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon that witnesses to the incident have been uncooperative thus far. They do not yet have a motive, but evidence shows gang involvement was an element in the incident.
"We understand people may be reluctant to speak to police. They may be afraid for safety they may not have relationship or trust with police. But everyone has a trusting relationship with someone," he says.
Chief Myers also reiterated that Crime Line callers can remain anonymous.
Mayor McKinley L. Price also spoke at the press conference, making a plea to the community to end acts of violence like this one.
"I'm pleading with the community. Please do something to stop this," he said. "We cannot continue to live like this."
It was also announced Tuesday that in an effort to reduce the number of juveniles that have become involved in crimes, both as victims and suspects, Newport News Police's South Precinct will be conducting a curfew operation this week from Thursday to Sunday.
Officers will focus additional efforts looking for juveniles violating the city's curfew law between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Offenders will be taken into custody and taken to the South Precinct where they can be retrieved by their parents or guardians. They will also be issued a summons for violating curfew.
The community in Newport News is taking action as well.
"Something does need to be done," said Reverend Samuel Green of St. John's Church of God in Christ.
The church is just down the road from where the murder happened. Green says he went a vigil held for the teens on Tuesday night to start building that trust between church, community and police.
"We can't bring the kids back, but we can bring justice forward," Reverend Green said. "Our cause is to help our community to be the best community it can be."
Green says Thursday morning there is a meeting scheduled between ministers in the neighborhood to see what they can do to stop the violence in the neighborhood.
Also, the Royal Men of Solomon #40 Masonic Lodge in Newport News is also hosting a forum to bring together ideas and come up with solutions on how to curve crime. That forum will be at the Hiram Grand Lodge at 2400 Jefferson Avenue in Newport News on April 25th at 2pm.
In the meantime, family and friends of the murdered teens were at the vigil on Tuesday are asking people with information to come forward.
"We can burn a little candles and rest in peace and all that but it would be better if the people that were out there and saw something to say something," said Dominigo's Aunt Marie.
At this time, there is still no information on suspects. The incident remains under investigation.
If you know anything about this crime, please call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
