NORFOLK, Va. — Bullet holes remain in several homes in Norfolk's Lambert's Point neighborhood after police say multiple people exchanged gunfire Wednesday evening, leaving residents shaken and raising questions about neighborhood safety.
No injuries were reported, but six homes and a vehicle were struck by bullets.
For Lindsey Plaster, who has lived in the neighborhood for about seven years, the shooting unfolded just outside her home near West 27th Street and Elkhorn Avenue.
"I don't really know exactly, obviously, what started it, but I just heard people arguing, and then there was like a couple of bangs," Plaster told News 3.
She said she looked outside and saw two people getting into a vehicle. Moments later, she heard a barrage of gunfire.
"I literally heard it hit my house, and our house is made out of brick. So I saw like the dust like fly, where it hit the house," Plaster said. "So then I was just like, 'Oh my god, get down!'"
Plaster said she and others inside waited until the gunfire stopped before checking what had happened.
She later showed News 3 the damage left behind by bullets that struck her home.
Officers responded to a report of gunfire near West 27th Street and Elkhorn Avenue around 6:10 p.m. Wednesday, according to Norfolk police.
Investigators believe multiple people arrived in different vehicles, got out, exchanged gunfire and left before officers arrived.
Police said four occupied homes, two unoccupied homes and one unoccupied vehicle were struck by gunfire. Despite the damage, no injuries were reported at the scene or by local hospitals.
No arrests have been announced in connection with the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
While canvassing Lambert's Point on Thursday, News 3 spoke with several residents about the shooting and what they believe could make their neighborhood safer.
One man, who declined to appear on camera, said he wants to see more surveillance cameras, better streetlighting and an increased police presence.
Other neighbors expressed concerns about gun violence but had different perspectives on how to address it.
Zak Yohe, who moved into the neighborhood earlier this year, described Lambert's Point as a generally peaceful community.
"Scared for the people inside, the pets inside, the children, just wishing that gun violence would kind of subside in the city because it's a problem," Yohe said when asked about the damage to nearby homes.
Yohe said he wasn't necessarily calling for a greater police presence but wanted to see gun violence reduced across Norfolk.
Plaster also questioned whether additional patrols could have prevented what happened.
"You could have more police presence, but that's not really something you can prevent with the police being around," she said, describing gun violence as a broader social issue.
Despite Wednesday's shooting, Plaster said she generally feels safe in Lambert's Point and doesn't expect incidents like this to become a regular occurrence.
News 3 brought those concerns directly to Norfolk City Councilman Carlos Clanton, who has a personal connection to Lambert's Point.
Clanton said he grew up near 38th Street and Elkhorn Avenue and immediately recognized the location when he learned about the shooting.
He said several people contacted him afterward, including former Norfolk City Councilwoman Danica Royster.
"It is still disturbing to hear that you had several cars to show up and individuals, you know, at this time of night, just come and start shooting up places that were occupied," Clanton said.
Clanton acknowledged residents' concerns about lighting, surveillance cameras and police staffing, saying the city is working to address those issues.
He said Norfolk is already working with Dominion Energy on a citywide LED streetlighting project.
The effort has included community input meetings, including one in Lambert's Point that Clanton attended.
"When we talk about more lighting, we know that we have a citywide LED lighting project that's underway right now," Clanton said.
He acknowledged that better lighting would have been welcome before Wednesday's shooting but said the improvements are already moving forward.
As for residents' requests for more surveillance cameras, Clanton said decisions about deploying additional equipment rest with Norfolk police leadership.
"The chief will make the assessment whether or not they need to put some of these closed circuit solar powered kind of cameras that are there for additional surveillance," Clanton said.
He explained that police have used additional surveillance equipment in response to shootings in other areas.
Clanton also discussed Flock cameras, which can help investigators identify vehicles, as another tool that could assist police.
He said surveillance technology can help officers monitor areas, investigate crimes and potentially deter criminal activity.
However, Clanton did not announce any specific plans to install new cameras at West 27th Street and Elkhorn Avenue.
Clanton also acknowledged that Norfolk continues to face challenges with police staffing.
"We're still well below the number of police officers that that we need," he said.
Clanton said he had discussed staffing with the city manager and noted that the police department has brought in several recruiting classes this year.
He said increasing the number of officers available for patrols remains important, while acknowledging that police cannot be everywhere at once.
"The more boots on the ground that we can have in place, and or if we have closed circuit TVs or any of those things, it helps us to monitor and and to also to add as a deterrent," Clanton said.
Norfolk police are also investigating a separate report of a home struck by bullets early Thursday morning.
Officers were called to the 1200 block of Picadilly Street around 9:10 a.m. Thursday after receiving a report that a residence had been struck by gunfire sometime around 3 a.m.
Residents were inside the home when the shooting occurred, who reported damage to the inside and outside of the house, according to police. No injuries were reported.
Police have not announced whether the two incidents are connected, and no connection has been established.
Detectives are investigating both incidents.
As investigators work to determine who was involved in the Lambert's Point shooting, Clanton encouraged residents to share any information that could help police.
He said even seemingly small details, including a vehicle description or license plate number, could be valuable.
"Your city leaders, our police department, we hear it. We are actively working right now to address it," Clanton said.
For Plaster and other Lambert's Point residents, the hope is that Wednesday's gunfire remains an isolated incident in a neighborhood they describe as typically quiet.
Norfolk police are asking anyone with information about either shooting to contact the Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887).
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the P3 Tips mobile app or at P3Tips.com.
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