VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) is seeking video or photographic evidence from the public after an 8-year-old was critically injured by a stray bullet on Tuesday evening.
Police officials announced on Friday they created an anonymous digital evidence portal, where people can upload photos and videos related to the shooting.
"The evidence portal is a new tool made available through Axon’s evidence platform. Last year, the VBPD implemented new technology to enhance our ability to collect digital evidence, submit electronic reports, and analyze crime data in real-time," a VBPD spokesperson told 13News Now.
On Friday afternoon, the Virginia Beach Crime Solvers also voted to raise the reward to up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case, higher than the usual reward of $1,500.
The shooting happened in the 3200 block of Peele Court when the victim, Landyn Davis, was inside his home playing video games and was struck in the head by a stray bullet that came through the front of the house.
First responders rushed Landyn to the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, and he is in a medically induced coma, according to his parents.
"This senseless act of violence has greatly impacted our community and we ask for their assistance in helping us secure justice for the family," the police department wrote in a news release. "No amount of information is insignificant, and we encourage all with any knowledge of this crime to contact us."
Here is a list of file formats that can be uploaded on the public portal:
- Document
- Photo
- .arw, .bmp, .cr2, .cr3, .crw, .dng, .gif, .heic, .jpeg, .jpg, .nef, .nrw, .orf, .png, .raf, .sr2, .srf, .tif, and .tiff
- Video
- .3gp, .3gpp, .3g2, asf, .avi, .divx , .f4v, .flv, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .m4v, .qt, .ram, .rm, .ts, .tts, .vob, .webm, .wmv
- Audio
- .aifc, .aif, .aiff, .mp2, .mp3, .m4a, .mpga, .wav, .wma
In addition to submitting evidence, anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or thinks they have information that could help investigators can reach out to detectives by calling 757-385-4101.
People can also submit a tip to the Crime Line by calling 1-888-562-5887 or using P3 Tips online.