HAMPTON, Va. — "Alarming."
That's how Hampton Police Department Chief Mark Talbot described the recent increase in violence in the city.
Since Jan. 1, the city has seen a total of 15 shootings that included 20 people who were shot, the chief said. Nine of those 20 victims lost their lives.
- The chief mentioned the officer-involved shooting on Jan. 11 involving homicide suspect Lamont Lewis. He has been previously wanted on a second-degree murder warrant, among others, related to the Dec. 25, 2022, homicide of his wife, Tivona Fogg.
- Two days later, on Jan. 15, 19-year-old Joshua Scriven died after a shooting on East County Street.
- On Jan. 19, James Tubbs was arrested and charged with killing his father, Elliott Tubbs on Hemlock Avenue.
- The chief also noted a homicide on Jan. 23 at 2563 West Pembroke Avenue. Officers arrived early in the morning to find 46-year-old James Thompson, of Newport News, dead.
- The chief said 33-year-old Christopher Ragsdale was shot to death in the 700 block of Fallon Court.
- On Jan. 29, the chief said officers found 39-year-old Dwight McKinley suffering with a gunshot wound in the 900 block of Aberdeen Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
- Finally, on Jan. 30, three people including a pregnant woman lost their lives in a shooting on Salisbury Way.
The chief said these crimes represent pain and sadness for the families involved, the city and the police department.
"We're here to let our city know that we're using this pain that they're feeling and we're feeling as motivation to bring safety and security back to this city," Chief Talbot said. "These aren't random crimes. Our victims were targeted."
The chief said his team of detectives had been talking about what needs to be done to "restore safety to this city." He said it will be an all-hands approach from the top down.
"All of us are going to be out in our hotpots. All of us are going to be playing a role in delivering safety to this city," he said. "We have a clear mission in place. We have partnered with our state and federal agencies who have agreed to come in and assist."
Chief Talbot thanked Virginia State Police and other federal partners. He also thanked the city manager and assistant city manager, saying their leadership has been essential to have the resources to do what they need to do.
"We're very confident that over the course of the next few weeks, we will end this vicious spike in lethal violence," Chief Talbot said.
The chief emphasized residents and neighbors in impacted communities need to reach out to law enforcement in order to bring justice to these cases.
Chief Talbot said, "at the heart of violence is always somebody who is making a profoundly bad choice, and we all need to remember to place our angst and unhappiness there with people who our making those choices."
News 3 spoke with Hal Smith, the president of the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula, which works to keep youth on the right track and provides a safe place for kids to go after school.
"The fear in the community is the biggest impact we've seen. One of the biggest impacts of the Boys & Girls Clubs is kids feel safe," Smith said. We're serving over 50 to 60 kids to stay on the right path for what it costs if they go down the wrong path."
During the press conference Tuesday, Mayor Donnie Tuck said, generally, shootings, involve people who are acquainted.
"I've said for a number of years that it's not random. It's generally individuals who are known to each other," he said. "In talking to individuals who are involved in community work, they reassured me that it's beef between individuals. Sometimes it's about someone who may be involved with someone else's girlfriend."
