VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate is calling out people he says have misled investigators as they work to solve the deadly shooting of a 15-year-old girl near the Mount Trashmore Summer Carnival.
Neudigate said it is no longer believed that the shooting stemmed from a fight inside the carnival, but instead, a separate isolated incident.
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He described the complications of the investigation during his remarks to the Virginia Beach City Council Tuesday afternoon, saying the city's police department has "been provided with a ton of misinformation."
"We have a 15-year-old that lost her life and we have been lied to repeatedly by the individuals that were there," Neudigate told council members. "No one has come forward to be an independent eyewitness and if anything, they have provided information to the contrary. So, they have made trying to bring justice to these families incredibly difficult for us."
Neudigate encouraged people to provide information to the Virginia Beach Police Department, no matter how trivial it may be.
"There were a lot of people there. We know someone knows who was involved," the chief said.
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VBPD previously said at least one person had a firearm and subsequently fired shots, striking the 15-year-old girl and 18-year-old boy.
Both teenage victims were taken to the hospital for treatment where VBPD said the girl, who has not been publicly named, succumbed to her injuries. The 18-year-old man has been downgraded to serious condition and is still in intensive care, according to Neudigate.
The chief also mentioned the City of Virginia Beach saw 10 gun-related homicides this time in 2023. So far this year, Virginia Beach has seen seven, depicting a 30% change.
"While this incident is horrific and it is, we have to be understanding of what the actual data looks like," said Neudigate, who also offered a caveat. "This is what concerns the police department. Of the seven homicides, five of those involved juveniles."
Neudigate touted the formation of a youth services unit in VBPD. It started back in January 2023 as a coordinated approach to connect with local children.
The unit has 30 separate initiatives aimed at tackling goals like improving relationships and giving mentorship, the chief told city council.
When it comes to other statistics, Neudigate also advised Virginia Beach is seeing a 13% decrease in total violent crime. And as of Tuesday, the number of shooting victims is down by 36% compared to this time last year. Neudigate said that figure is the lowest it has been in the last four years.
If you have any information that may help police in the Mount Trashmore investigation, you're asked to call Virginia Beach Crime Solvers at 1-888-562-5887 or submit a tip online at P3Tips.com.