If you listen closely while walking down the Oceanfront boardwalk, you’ll hear the roar of the Atlantic and the familiar chatter of beachgoers, but lately, the serene sound of waves has been lost to the tune of a police scanner encompassing Rudee Loop and beyond. With over three shootings since early March, gun violence has defined the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and even areas close to Salem and Kempsville high schools.
What many refer to as the starting point of this series of violence was a shooting on March 7th, after which five victims were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The shots were fired in the 1800 block of Atlantic Avenue. While increased juvenile activity is always expected on warm days, Police Chief Paul Neudigate stated on March 8th that “police presence and visibility is no longer a sufficient deterrent,” which indicated the need for active intervention from City Council members.
However, just when council members believed to have curbed the violence following emergency ordinances after March 7th, another shooting broke out only ten minutes from Sundevil Drive. This time, it occurred in the KempsRiver Crossing shopping center during a car meet-up. According to Wavy 10, seven people were shot.
“I work at the Outback Steakhouse within KempsRiver Crossing, and I had just finished working a shift that night,” said junior Christian Guilloty, who attended the car meet-up out of interest. “I had recorded videos of cars doing burnouts, revving their engines, and expensive vehicles entering and leaving, and I noticed people running around and smoke filling the air. [Then], I walked to my car, and as I got in, I heard multiple gunshots and saw people running as someone was opening fire on a parked car.”
While Guilloty wasn’t harmed, he explained how he’ll never forget what was supposed to be a regular night at work.
“The recent gun violence in Virginia Beach is insanely high,” said Guilloty. “I see more and more events, like ‘takeovers,’ posted on social media, which provoke unsafe behavior and bring groups of delinquents together. Mental health is a big issue, and if I had to guess, it’s America’s biggest problem right now. It’s just part of the troubles our society faces.”
In an effort to permanently suppress this violence, the City Council announced a 7:00pm curfew for unaccompanied minors on March 12th. However, due to the fact that it only applies to the Oceanfront and remains in effect only through the end of April, some believe there needs to be a more permanent fix.
“I don’t think the curfew is working because I feel like people don’t care about it,” said junior Alannah Smith. “They are going to cause trouble anyway, and if they can’t go to the Oceanfront, they’re going to go somewhere else.”
Like Guilloty, Smith is supportive of a long-term solution because she, too, has been exposed to violence at her workplace: Nova Adventure Park in Salem Crossing. As of April 13th, Nova has frequently been the site of “takeovers,” where teens participate in unsanctioned brawls in public spaces. These “takeovers” are publicized on social media with a specific date and time, and Smith just happened to see one while on the clock.
“It started with one fight and then escalated to multiple fights between many people,” said Smith. “It was uncontrollable because it was so overcrowded. The workers weren’t prepared, and the only way it calmed down was when the police set off a tear drop bomb. Nova should have more security, which they are enforcing now and is good.”
Another teen who works at Nova, junior Karolene Whitley, also reported being at the trampoline park the morning prior to the “takeover.” Aside from being concerned for the safety of her coworkers, Whitley admits she is “now scared because [she is] working so many night shifts,” which is something no young adult should have to grapple with.
“I’m getting scared because I don’t want to be there when something like that happens,” said Whitley. “We have few security guards, so us staff are considered security even though we’re all teenagers. Our oldest employee is literally 20 years old. All of my coworkers had to break up the fights, and one of them even got pepper sprayed and quit. It was pretty bad.”
As the Oceanfront curfew expiration date nears, the City Council and longtime residents only hope to preserve the sense of security that the city is known for. And, while the future of Virginia Beach safety lies in the hands of lawmakers, it more importantly lies in the hands of young adults and their power to engage in moral decision-making. If teenagers begin to lead honorable lives, citizens won’t have to live in fear, but simply for the promise of a safer beach.
