HAMPTON, Va. — Hampton city leaders held a press conference on Friday to address recent violence in the city.
Over the past week, Hampton Police said they have been investigating at least three different homicides, all of which appear to involve individuals who were previously acquainted rather than being random acts of crime.
Police Chief Jimmie Wideman provided an update on some of these incidents, including a fatal stabbing that occurred outside the Hampton Coliseum during a Phish concert last Friday.
Chief Wideman reported that there were a total of three victims in that case, including the one who was killed. Two persons of interest are currently under investigation. He noted that the suspects and at least one of the victims were known to each other and believes the incident stemmed from a prior dispute.
"We're moving forward with identifying all the parties that are responsible," Chief Wideman said. "I am confident that they will, in fact, be criminally charged for those offenses, and I'm equally confident that our Commonwealth Attorney will help us with the prosecution of those individuals."
Mayor Jimmy Gray addressed residents' concerns about their safety during the press conference. He emphasized the importance of reporting any information related to violent incidents.
“If you know someone who is in a conflict that seems like it might turn violent, or if you have information regarding a violent incident that has already happened, don’t keep that information to yourself. If you want to report it anonymously, you can do that by calling 888-LOCK-U-UP,” Gray said.
Chief Wideman also discussed a separate homicide that took place last Saturday on West Broad Drive, which was domestic-related.
On Wednesday, two individuals known to each other exchanged gunfire, resulting in one person’s death. Additionally, a juvenile was shot by someone they knew just yesterday, but that individual is expected to recover.
The chief provided an update on a separate incident involving an officer-involved shooting at a Royal Farms gas station on Sunday. He stated that the suspect remains hospitalized and that the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
