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An increase of youth shootings raises concern in Portsmouth

"Thirty-four victims - including children and adolescents - have fallen victim to acts of violence this year in our city," said the Interim Portsmouth Police Chief.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Four people were shot in Portsmouth in less than a week, and three of those victims are children. 

On Wednesday, Portsmouth Interim City Manager LaVoris Pace and Interim Portsmouth Police Chief Scott Burke released a video asking the community for any information regarding recent shootings in the city. They are concerned because many of the victims are children. 

“Thirty-four victims -- including children and adolescents -- have fallen victim to acts of violence this year in our city," said Burke.

Burke and Pace want the violence to stop.

“The City of Portsmouth and the police department are exploring new programs that, with full implementation, will have success in our community,” Pace said.

13News Now reached out to the City of Portsmouth about what kind of programs city leaders are working on. Portsmouth spokesperson Dana Woodson explained in a statement:

"The police department is developing the deployment and implementation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program for delivery to students; as well as a project focused on reducing juvenile arrests, presenting constructive lessons and positive options for students.  This RESPECT program is in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance 

"We are exploring the feasibility of the Live Free program as well as an E-responder program developed in New York.

"Grant funds were allocated this fall for GREAT and RESPECT; all of these projects are in the developmental or review stages."

Organizations including Stop The Violence 757 are coming together with police in an effort to curb the bloodshed the city has been seeing. 

“It’s just so heartbreaking and there's not an age now that the kids are being murdered," said Stop the Violence 757 founder Monica Atkins.

On Tuesday, police said a 28-year-old man and a 7-year-old girl were shot in broad daylight on Truxton Avenue. The girl is in critical condition. Now, Portsmouth police are trying to find the suspect driving a gold 1999 to early 2000s Acura.

Credit: Portsmouth Police Dept.

On Sunday, a 14-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy were shot around midnight on Rutter Street. The boy didn’t survive.

Atkins and other community members will meet on Thursday at Portsmouth City Hall to go over plans to help bring peace to their city. They are meeting at 11:00 a.m. on the city hall steps.  

Credit: Angelo Vargas

“It’s a revolving door now and it’s like people are accustomed to it. No. This is not normal. Trauma is not normal and that’s what it is it’s trauma,” Atkins said.

Organizers say they want to create programs of their own. They want to create an amnesty gun exchange program and work on a better relationship between the police and the community.

Lastly, they want to focus on youth mentorship programs, provide counseling, and work with local behavioral health organizations.

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