NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News police are investigating a shooting in the Deer Park area of the city that ended in a man's death early Tuesday morning.
Just before 1:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to the Chesapeake Bay Apartments on Saint Michaels Way for a report of gunshots, according to Kelly King, a spokeswoman for the Newport News Police Department.
When they got the the area, officers found a man "suffering from at least one life-threatening gunshot wound," she said. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. He was identified as Demario Jevon Mapp, a 38-year-old man from Hampton.
The incident is the city's 45th homicide this year, according to police data tracked by 13News Now. It marks a new record of homicides in a single year in Newport News, according to FBI data. The city's previous year for most homicides was 1994, during which 44 homicides took place.
About an hour after the shooting, King said detectives and the NNPD's Forensics team were still canvassing the area. By 5:30 a.m., detectives had left the crime scene and police tape had been taken down now, according to 13News Now Reporter Kaicey Baylor.
There was visible damage to vehicles in the parking lot of the apartment community where the shooting took place. One resident of the community said he heard gunshots overnight and came out this morning to find a window in his vehicle shot out.
Another resident, Valerie Daniels, said she woke up to police informing her about the shooting and that two of her car windows were also damaged.
"Definitely not bigger than what occurred, but [my car] is my baby, so it's still kind of sad," she said.
In a statement to 13News Now, both Newport News Mayor Philip Jones and Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said they are prioritizing citizens' safety.
"We will continue to work in partnership with Police Chief Steve Drew and Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn to ensure the safety of our citizens. Unfortunately, this is a crisis that cities throughout the country are dealing with daily," Mayor Jones said, in part.
Chief Drew shared similar sentiments, noting that it will take a collaborative effort to curb gun violence.
"Most of the homicides have not been random acts, with nearly half of the homicides occurring up close – inside a vehicle or a residence," Drew explained. "I believe that understanding the totality of gun violence is extremely important. A by-product of gun violence is homicides, and we need to get at the root cause of gun violence to make a meaningful impact.”
Earlier this month, Chief Drew publicly addressed the city's homicide rate, which is higher than any of the other cities in Hampton Roads this year. He said the number of people killed bothers him, but he believes the city is moving in the right direction, citing a significant decrease in total number of shootings since last year.
"Those are also individuals. They leave loved ones behind and family members behind," Drew said at the time. "I sit in this room with families and 'Chief, can you just give me some resolve? Can you tell me why this happened?'"
He said, in most cases, the shootings and homicides are not random acts; most people involved have some kind of relationship.
"I see individuals that have problems with de-escalation," Drew said. "I see arguments that happen. I see individuals that at one time were friends that turned on each other. There are some, not blaming individuals who have mental illness, but I have seen mental illness be a cause of some of the homicides we've had this year."
Right now, police have no suspect information for Tuesday morning's homicide.
Police ask that anyone with information about the shooting call 911 or the NNPD's non-emergency number at (757) 247–2500, or provide an anonymous tip through the Crime Line (1–888–562–5887) or p3tips.com.
Full statements from Mayor Jones, Chief Drew and City Manager Alan Archer can be read below.
Mayor Phillip Jones: “Since assuming the role of Mayor, I have voiced my commitment to public safety in the City of Newport News. We will continue to work in partnership with Police Chief Steve Drew and Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn to ensure the safety of our citizens. Unfortunately, this is a crisis that cities throughout the country are dealing with daily. City Council and I will continue to support our police department in the areas of staffing and technological advancements to promote safety. As we are faced with these untimely deaths in our community, I am reminded of the loved ones impacted. My heart grieves as I know their lives are forever changed.”
Police Chief Steve Drew: “The safety of our residents is my top concern. While we have experienced an increase in homicides this year, I believe it is important to note that we have had 20 fewer non-fatal shooting victims, and our clearance rates exceed the national average in almost every category. Most of the homicides have not been random acts, with nearly half of the homicides occurring up close – inside a vehicle or a residence. I believe that understanding the totality of gun violence is extremely important. A by-product of gun violence is homicides, and we need to get at the root cause of gun violence to make a meaningful impact.”
City Manager Alan Archer: “I believe that as we approach the shootings that occur in our city it is critical that we have a better understanding of the motives and the root causes that contribute to these acts of violence. This information serves as an integral component in our approach and in providing intervention services to help combat negative behaviors such as poor conflict resolution, family dysfunction, under-addressed trauma. Our partnerships with other law enforcement organizations and community-based agencies, along with our focused community policing tactics and use of data and technology are very important in further developing our framework to gun violence in Newport News.”