PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Violence rocked a community in Portsmouth, following a Monday evening shooting in the Churchland area of the city. Someone shot a boy around 7 p.m., in the 3800 block of Headwind Lane, officials said.
Investigators spent hours combing through the scene and processing evidence in the Long Point neighborhood.
Officers said the boy was seriously hurt. On Tuesday, a PPD spokesperson said the boy is 17 years old and is in critical condition.
While police have not yet told 13News Now what led up to the shots fired, neighbors said what happened caught them by surprise.
"We never thought this would happen here," said neighbor Patton Collette.
Collette recalled hearing a series of shots while watching TV inside her home.
"I was figuring this is a very quiet neighborhood. I thought it was a car backfiring, but it turned out it wasn't," she said. "Neighbors respect and know one another. Nothing of this caliber has ever happened in this neighborhood."
"I think gun violence is way too prominent in this area, not just in Portsmouth but in the entirety of Hampton Roads," Collette added. "I think that something needs to be changed so that children like this don't get shot."
The latest shooting comes as the city grapples with a surge of violence. So far in 2023, our records show at least 16 homicides citywide.
There is no suspect information to share on the Headwind Lane shooting, at this time. If you know anything about this shooting, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. You can also submit a tip online at P3Tips.com.