VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach police had a busy 48 hours over the course of Spring Break Weekend at the Oceanfront, making 53 arrests and responding to several shots fired in the resort area.
Police say the dozens of arrests made from Friday night to early Sunday morning resulted in nearly 200 criminal charges. Many charges were firearm-related, and police say they confiscated at least 28 guns.
On Monday, police shared a non-comprehensive list of the arrests made. Of the 38 people on the list, most are adults in their late teens or early twenties. Those on the list range in age from 14 to 53, and everyone except the 14-year-old are adults.
Watch related coverage: Virginia Beach Police talk safety following weekend shooting at Oceanfront
Most of the people on the list are either from the Hampton Roads area or other parts of the state.
On Tuesday, Chief Paul Neudigate told the media, "Everybody has historically referred to this as College Beach Weekend. That is no longer the case. These are not individuals who are coming for the college Spring Break Weekend. Unfortunately, what we’re seeing is a lot of unattended minors and young adults coming from the local area." He added, "The problem is they’re coming and a lot of them are bringing firearms."
Chief Neudigate said they're also bringing conflict.
"Then when they run into each other in our Resort Area, unfortunately, that conflict is manifesting itself and it’s manifesting itself not with fights and punches anymore, but with firearms," he said.
VBPD says over the 48 hours, officers responded to several shots fired, including a shooting in the 1400 block of Pacific Avenue on Sunday morning in which a person was shot. The Chief said on Tuesday that the victim's injuries were not life-threatening.
Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to contact the VBPD Detective Bureau at 757-385-4101 or submit tips anonymously through Crime Solvers at P3Tips.com.
The Police Chief added this message: "If you come down, you’re bringing firearms, and you’re willing to shoot up our community that we’ve worked incredibly hard to reduce these numbers over the last five years - it’s not acceptable. We’re not going to condone it. We’re not going to allow it to happen, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself on the receiving end of a set of handcuffs."
