HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Freddie Taylor Sr. said he's lucky to be alive after being shot.
"I was shot twice in my chest and I died en route to the hospital and fortunately was able to come back," Taylor said.
The shooting is one reason he now advocates to keep the community safer. He's the president of Stop the Violence 757.
"Because you never know when it will hit your home or hit your family. So we want to be proactive rather than reactive," said Taylor.
He hopes more open dialogue will help curb the violence in Hampton Roads.
"That's one of the key things. Not just to talk but a dialogue," he said. "But if that conversation is never had, then two lives are gone whether you're the murderer or the one that's being murdered>
Homicides reached record numbers in Hampton Roads last year and this year there's again heartache in the community.
Newport News police said they're investigating a homicide that happened Tuesday.
"Some of our detectives that were at the homicide are still here. They haven't gone home," said Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew.
Chief Drew said in every case they assess causes and risks among other things. He said homicides in close succession can strain resources, but said there's another important concern.
"Although we talk about 20, or we talk about a 3% decrease in our shootings this year, those are numbers, the chief said. "But I know those numbers represent an individual, a family, a community, a neighborhood.".
In Hampton Roads this year to date, five people have been killed in Chesapeake, nine in Suffolk, 18 in Virginia Beach, 20 in Newport News, 22 in Portsmouth, 22 in Norfolk, and 23 in Hampton, records show.
All cases in Hampton involved firearms.
Police said the majority of homicides are not random acts but usually involve people who know each other.
"I don't want to speak for other departments, but most of the chiefs would probably tell you the same thing. Any homicide when we talk about a rise or increase is concerning. We have crime analysts, our detectives, our officers, we all try to delve down and find what is the cause, what is driving that," said Chief Drew.
Chief Drew said there is some good news.
"We have leads in most of our cases," said Chief Drew.
Both men told News 3 there's hope too as long as the community continues to pull together.
"There is hope. I have been doing this job 30 years," the chief said. I've seen we had spikes in the late 80s and 90s with the drug wars...and how that's changed now. I just think we have to evolve. We have to focus. We can get frustrated, but we can't give up."
Taylor said Stop the Violence 757 puts on community events to spread awareness.
"It matters. And sometimes that's all these kids need to know is they matter. I just want to let them know they matter not only to their parents but to the community. It takes a village and we are the village," said Taylor.
The organization also runs Project Safe Haven which focuses on mentoring kids after school.
