During the past two months, shootings have spiked in Charlottesville—most recently on and near the Downtown Mall—further increasing concern among local politicians, law enforcement, violence interrupters, and other community members.
On October 23 at around 1am, the Charlottesville Police Department responded to a shots fired report on the Downtown Mall, where they found a man and two women who had been shot. Two men had been involved in a fight at Lucky Blue’s, and one took out a gun and fired multiple shots inside and outside the bar. The injured man, later identified as Devonn J. Wilson, was rushed to the hospital, where he died of his wounds. The two women, who were bystanders, sustained non-life threatening injuries, and, as of October 24, are recovering at the hospital. No arrests have been made.
“We believe this is an isolated incident and not connected with previous acts of gun violence,” said the Charlottesville Police Department in a press release, urging anyone with information regarding the shooting to contact police.
Just three days before the fatal bar shooting, Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania announced that the CPD had arrested and charged three juvenile males, ages 14 to 17, in relation to a shooting that occurred near the downtown Omni Hotel parking lot on October 15. Two male juveniles were injured during the shooting, and the three teens in custody face felony charges.
While the commonwealth’s attorney’s office has partnered with “various law enforcement agencies” to respond to the increase in shootings, “it will take broad community partnerships to turn the tide and stem the violence,” said Platania in a city press release. “We have committed parents, teachers, coaches … that can intervene and guide our youth.”
The B.U.C.K. Squad says it has been mentoring local youth, in addition to intervening in conflicts before they turn into shootings—the group reports it has performed 48 successful violence interruptions this year. However, the squad needs more resources to offer programming, like sports and field trips, that can deter young people from getting involved in illegal activities.
“These kids don’t have no outlet. We want to get them off the streets,” says Assistant Director Bryan Page. “We need to rescue these kids before they get the gun in their hand. Jail and stuff like that do not work—it makes you worse.”
With extra funding, the violence interrupters want to start a junior B.U.C.K. Squad, in addition to other violence prevention programs. “If the kids that’s doing the shooting … if we could pay them to be violence interrupters among their peers, then we can address the problem,” says Page.
Last year, the squad, which also runs a re-entry program, received $70,000 from Charlottesville City Council, but Page and Executive Director Herb Dickerson say that funding has run out. This year, the group received a $100,000 grant from the Department of Justice, but Dickerson expects that money to be gone by spring. He hopes the city will provide additional funding before then, allowing the group to ramp up hiring, too—it currently has around 15 members, and needs around 45 more people in order to put a violence interrupter team in all of the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods, says Dickerson.
According to acting field operations head Capt. Tony Newberry, the CPD is currently down 30 active duty officers, which he believes has led to an increase in shootings—over the past six months, the department has responded to approximately 162 shots fired calls, including another recent gun-related homicide. On September 17, police responded to a call on the 300 block of Third Street NE, and discovered a man who had been shot. He was later identified as 29-year-old Daquain Anderson, and was taken to the hospital, where he died of his injuries. No one has been arrested for his murder.
Police have yet to make arrests in connection to a string of other recent shootings. On September 10, the CPD responded to an incident on the Downtown Mall, but reported there were no injuries. On September 18, officers responded to a shots fired call in the area of Ninth Street NW and West Street, and found shell casings but no one injured on Hardy Drive. On September 28, police responded to an aggravated assault report on Anderson Street, and found two men who had been shot outside a home. (They were taken to the hospital in stable condition). And on October 16, officers responded to a call on Hardy Drive and found shell casings but no victims.
To recruit more officers, Newberry urges the city to increase pay. “Our competition in this area primarily comes from the university or the county,” he told The Daily Progress.
Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook says City Council is working with the CPD, City Manager’s office, and Platania to address the shootings—however, he stresses the limits of policing and encourages witnesses to assist with investigations.
“Unless a police officer was standing outside [of Lucky Blue’s], I don’t think this could have been prevented by a different police presence,” wrote Snook in an email to C-VILLE. “Some of the shootings are going unsolved because eyewitnesses who saw what happened won’t talk to the police.”
Downtown businesses are also working together to “keep their patrons and staff safe,” said Friends of Charlottesville Downtown Executive Director Greer Achenbach in an email. The CPD “is increasing officer presence on the mall … [and] we still believe that downtown is a safe place.”
“Our first priority remains for the safety of our guests and associates,” wrote Omni Hotel manager Paul Maher in an email, “and that is where we place our focus.”