A man and a child were shot Monday evening on Chowan Drive, marking the first shooting in Portsmouth this month, according to police.
The shooting follows a violent start to the year. Portsmouth recorded eight shootings in January, based on data from the Portsmouth Police Department’s Crime and Gun Violence Dashboard.
As investigators continue to look into Monday’s shooting, community-based organizations say they are working alongside police to reduce gun violence and prevent future incidents.
One of those groups is Give Back 2 Da Block, a Portsmouth-based nonprofit focused on violence prevention and youth outreach. Founder Darrell Redmond said his work centers on creating opportunities that give people hope.
“I’m big on how do we provide opportunities that create hope,” Redmond said.
Redmond said his organization looks for long-term solutions to violent crime through community violence intervention programs, including Portsmouth United, a state-funded grant initiative.
News 3 reached out to Portsmouth Police for more details about how the community violence intervention groups are funded. They told us:
"Portsmouth United granted funds to Give Back 2DA Block for the Safe Passage Bus Stop Safety Program and is also partnering with them for Project 180, a recidivism reduction program for youth and adults. Portsmouth United is state-funded through the DCJS Safer Communities grant program."
The approach focuses on reaching residents in neighborhoods where crime has historically been highest.
“Our chief has just invested in a community-based outreach team in Portsmouth,” Redmond said. “That’s in the London Oaks community, the South Side community, the Dales Home community, and a portion of Prentis Park.”
According to the police department’s crime dashboard, several of those neighborhoods have gone weeks or months without a reported shooting. London Oaks has not seen a shooting in 114 days, Southside for 70 days, Dales Home for 275 days, and Prentis Park for 35 days.
Redmond said the work is not easy and can be intimidating for some volunteers. He recalled taking a potential volunteer into the Southside neighborhood to show him what the job involves.
“I took him to Southside, where all the guns are, and as soon as we got out, I said, ‘Let’s go talk to them,’” Redmond said. “He told me they couldn’t pay me enough money to do that.”
Redmond said recent cuts to federal grants aimed at reducing gun violence and improving public safety put added strain on communities already dealing with limited resources.
At a press conference last month, Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins said community violence intervention programs are critical, but public involvement is just as important.
“The community sees it first, well before law enforcement gets involved,” Jenkins said. “And if you know something, say something early so we can try to get in front of these things.”
Redmond is urging residents to get involved, whether by volunteering or supporting outreach efforts, to help reduce violent crime across the city.
“For the naysayers that want to talk about how much money is invested in the work, I challenge them to come get a job and meet us in the field,” Redmond said. “Because we always need help when it comes to saving lives.”
Police have not released additional details about the conditions of the victims or any suspects in Monday’s shooting.
