NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A man is dead after a stabbing in Newport News Thursday afternoon, police say.
Newport News police say they got a call reporting a stabbing a little before 1 p.m. at the Jefferson Flat apartments on Mintwood Place. When officers arrived, they found a man, 50-year-old Horace Whack III of Mintwood Place, inside a home suffering from at least one stab wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. A man who was known to the victim, 20-year-old Joshua Whack, also of Mintwood Place, was detained at the scene and later charged with first-degree murder and use of a knife in the commission of a felony.
Police said the incident was domestic in nature and they aren't looking for other suspects.
Still, some neighbors told 13News Now the incident left them shaken.
“It scares me to even be in this neighborhood," said Kirsten Reed, who lives in the complex. "I just hope everybody can come together and we can stop doing all of this. It’s not worth it.”
Anti-violence activist Cameron Bertrand shared a similar sentiment. Bertrand is the founder of Violence Intervention & Prevention LLC and he often mentors children in the area.
“This area, as far as Jefferson Flats... it’s a second home for me. I’ve done a lot of work with the young people here," Bertrand said.
Bertrand says he sees domestic disputes end in violence all too often.
"We have to make sure that we're outweighing violent interactions with positive ones," he said.
Bertrand said the best way to curb violence is to get ahead of it. That’s why he’s calling for more access to mental health resources in the community.
“There has to be an open and safe environment for people to be able to come in and not feel ashamed or guilt for asking for help. I think that’s a huge thing – that we’re not normalizing that mental health matters," Bertrand said.
Bertrand is organizing two events this weekend centered on mental health. On Saturday, there will be a "youth and adult self care day" at 801 Church Street in Norfolk at 2 p.m. Then on Sunday, there will be a mental health workshop at Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.