NORFOLK, Va. — It was an especially violent week in the Calvert Square and Young Terrace area of Norfolk.
On Wednesday afternoon, a stray bullet hit a woman who was an innocent bystander to a fight between two men. Then, just 24 hours later, and just a few hundred feet away, three men were shot. One of them died and one is in critical condition. On Friday, a woman was stabbed a few blocks away during a domestic dispute. She also has critical injuries.
When Norfolk Police Chief Mark Talbot spoke with the media after the triple shooting on Thursday, he said he was certain there were witnesses, especially because the incident happened in broad daylight.
“We’re hoping they’ll reach out to us,” Talbot said.
However, with people rarely coming forward with the details of what they’ve seen, finding suspects and reaching convictions can be a challenge.
Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi says just like the police department, his office needs the community’s help to get dangerous criminals off the streets.
“If there’s no arrest, there is no case," Fatehi explained. “It’s heartbreaking and frustrating for the police and for me, when we know somebody has seen something, but they’re not willing to speak.”
Unfortunately, as frustrating as it may be, that reluctance to come forward is all too common.
“All I can say to someone is, said Fatehi, “If you’ve seen something, imagine the person who is dead is your child.”
He emphasized this isn’t just a Norfolk problem or even a Virginia problem. FBI data analyzed by the Pew Research Center showed 52% of homicides were cleared by police in 2022. That means a suspect is arrested, charged and turned over to the court. It’s the lowest nationwide clearance rate since 1993. Not to mention, even after an arrest, Fatehi says the work and challenges are far from over.
“An arrest where there’s no witnesses to put the evidence on in court leads to the dismissal of a case,” said Fatehi. “Based on our Constitution, we can’t prosecute based on something someone said outside the courtroom.”
No charges have been filed in either of the shootings mentioned about, but Rynesha Westbrook, 38, now faces malicious wounding charges in the Young Terrace stabbing.
As always, people with information that may lead to an arrest can call the crime line at 1-888-562-5887 or submit an anonymous tip online here.
