VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The city of Virginia Beach is seeing an alarming number of homicides involving teens and children.
In 2024, 50 percent of homicides in Virginia Beach involved a juvenile. Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate says it's something that needs to be addressed.
"What is concerning is the amount of youth that are involved in our homicides," Neudigate said.
Watch previous coverage: VB community members work together to find solutions to gun violence
The city of Virginia Beach has had 12 homicides so far in 2024, five of those being teens.
Chesapeake and Hampton are not too far behind with four juveniles in both cities.
In Portsmouth and Newport News, three juveniles were killed in each city.
Watch related coverage: Virginia attorney general works to reduce violence crime at Ceasefire Virginia Conference
The cities that didn’t see any juveniles killed in homicides this year are Norfolk and Suffolk.
In the most recent shooting in Virginia Beach, a 17-year-old was shot and killed by another 17-year old.
"Community beefs use to be handled with fist fights and maybe some strong words. Now unfortunately, it results in gun fire and shootings," Neudigate said.
Chief Neudigate says one out 10 cars that are broken into in Virginia Beach produces a gun that lands in the hands of someone that shouldn’t have a gun.
"Most of the time, a 17-year-old is not soliciting someone to make a stray purchase. They are buying a gun on the street and that gun is coming from someone’s vehicle. They left a firearm unsecured in the car and the car gets broken into. That’s about 300 firearms a year," Neudigate said.
Neudigate says an initiative that has worked to engage youth is Parks After Dark. The program was started n 2023 by the city of Virginia Beach to curb youth violence. It's held during the summer months offering family fun, games for kids and teens at city parks.
