NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Three children in Newport News hit with bullets in less than one hour. That has left even police officers stunned at the violence against local children.
“When you’re talking about a ten and 14 year old, that is totally unacceptable,” said Officer Brandon Maynard, a public information officer with the Newport News Police Dept. “Innocent, innocent children are being struck by gunfire in the city, and it needs to stop.”
All children reported that the shotscame from a black SUV, but police do not have a suspect lead or any surveillance video yet.
“I’m not going to say at this point [the incidents are] directly related, but it could possibly be,” Maynard told a group of reporters on Tuesday.
Despite the violence, crime stats provided by the FBI still rank Newport News in the top 100 safest cities in America.
Three Hampton Roads cities make '100 safest cities' list.
On the list, Virginia Beach comes in at #25, Hampton at #53, and Newport News at #93. Norfolk did not quite make the top 100 safest cities list, coming in at #115.
The list, compiled by Niche.com, takes into account a number of different crimes, including murder and assault rates.
Stats provided by the police department, and tracked by News 3, show the city of Norfolk has almost surpassed last year’s murder rate.
In 2015, Norfolk saw 35 murders. Already in 2016, they have had 34 murders.
Murder rates in Norfolk from 2014 to August 9, 2016.
After a violent weekend across Hampton Roads however, Newport News and Norfolk are not the only cities dealing with violent crime.
For some residents in Hampton Roads, the violence is not a huge factor when determining where to live.
Regina Jones, a social worker in Newport News, tells News 3 she still considers the neighborhood in where the three juveniles were shot a safe place to live.
“I think that every city has its crimes, and I think what happens here can happen anywhere,” Jones told News 3. “I do see that the face of the city is changing. There is a lot of renewal, and I think in a few years the reputation may be quite different.”
Murder rates across Hampton Roads:
Virginia Beach:
- Murder rate 2014 – 18
- Murder rate 2015 – 19
- Murder rate as of August 9, 2016 – 10
Hampton:
- Murder rate 2014 – 10
- Murder rate 2015 – 15
- Murder rate as of August 9, 2016 – 13
Newport News:
- Murder rate 2014 – 26
- Murder rate 2015 – 26
- Murder rate as of August 9, 2016 – 12
Norfolk:
- Murder rate 2014 – 30
- Murder rate 2015 – 35
- Murder rate as of August 9, 2016 – 34
Portsmouth
- Murder rate 2014 – 11
- Murder rate 2015 – 27
- Murder rate as of August 9, 2016 – 5
Suffolk
- Murder rate 2014 – 3
- Murder rate 2015 – 3
- Murder rate as of August 9, 2016 – 3
Chesapeake
- Murder rate 2014 – 11
- Murder rate 2015 – 12
- Murder rate as of August 9, 2016– 11
