VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Over the weekend 53 people were arrested down at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront for a number of charges but guests and business owners say they still feel safe.
Amanda Marano, owner of Karma Skate Shop, described the scene as reminiscent of a Fourth of July weekend.
"At times, it felt like there were so many people that you couldn't even walk on the sidewalks outside," Marano said.
Marano has operated her skate shop at the Oceanfront for the last ten years and was not surprised by the police's significant number of arrests during College Beach Weekend.
"I saw two different accidents on the roads, and with the amount of drinking on the streets, I anticipated that happening," Marano said.
Ayanna Wiggins who visited the Oceanfront over the weekend echoed the sentiment, commenting on the chaotic traffic.
After attending the Vibe Check festival on Friday, she experienced a car accident that injured her boyfriend.
"Immediately after the car crash, I got out, went to her side, and got in the back of the ambulance, where they put on a cast," Wiggins boyfriend said.
Due to their own challenges that night, Wiggins and her boyfriend were unaware that police had seized nearly 30 firearms from the streets.
With nearly 200 criminal charges filed over the weekend, Police Chief Paul Neudigate stated that the dynamics of College Beach Weekend have changed.
"Unfortunately, what we're seeing are a lot of unattended minors and young adults coming from the local area. While it is a public area, the problem is that many are bringing firearms with them," Neudigate said.
Despite the events of the past weekend, local businesses and visitors expressed their sense of safety at the Oceanfront.
"Yes, I feel like it’s safer than where I come from, so anything is safer than that, and it’s alright," Wiggins said.
