NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A 12-year-old boy was shot early Thursday morning, the Newport News Police Department said.
According to police, officers were dispatched to the 0 block of Spur Drive near Jefferson Avenue for a report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found a 12-year-old boy with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Police confirmed that the boy was inside the home when the shooting happened outside. The victim was taken to the hospital. Police say that there is no suspect information at the time and the investigation is ongoing.
Multiple bullet holes pierced the home in the Warwick Mobile Home Community.
This is just the latest shooting involving a child or a teenager. On Tuesday, someone shot another teenager in Newport News on Youngs Mill Lane.
A stray bullet also hit 8-year-old Landyn Davis in Virginia Beach in early February, leaving him temporarily in a coma. Landyn’s mom recently said he is off the ventilator and making progress in his recovery.
There were also four teenagers shot over four days across Hampton Roads in late January.
"These children are negatively impacted," said Nirmita Panchal, a senior policy manager with the non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation.
Panchal authored a report by KFF that outlined the impact of gun violence on children and teens. She said non-fatal shootings in teens are higher than fatalities, meaning these young people must live with physical or mental injuries.
"It could come out as PTSD, anxiety, a noticeable drop in school performance," she said. "They have an increased risk of psychiatric disorders and substance use."
As for the children who die by gunfire, she says that number has surpassed the children who die in car accidents/
"Firearms have become the leading mechanism of death among kids this age," Panchal said.
Police ask that anyone with information about the incident call 911 or the nonemergency number at (757) 247–2500 or the Crime Line at 1-888-562-5887. People can also use P3 Tips to submit a tip online.