RICHMOND, Va. -- A man was killed in front of his family on Wednesday evening on Chamberlayne Avenue, Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett.
The shooting happened outside the Bloom apartments on Richmond's Northside. It's the city's 34th homicide investigation of 2022.
"We had an argument that escalated into violence,” said Smith. “We had family members in an argument and another subject intervened, and shots were fired."
The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that an infant in a car carrier was in the vicinity of the shooting.
The suspected shooter was detained and taken downtown for questioning.
The city is on a violent streak of shootings recently, with at least one shooting happening every day this week.
"I don't think that the issues with crime that we are experiencing are something we can police our way out of,” said Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith. “It's something we will have to community our way out of, and yes, I’m using community as a verb: that's exactly what has to happen. It has to take all of us."
"It's sad," said Councilwoman Reva Trammel, who heads the city's public safety committee.
She held a meeting on Tuesday night to discuss crime, and said none of her council colleagues came and no one from city leadership was in attendance.
"Look up who's on my committee,” said Trammel. “I wasn't canceling. I was asked to, but I had speakers coming in to talk about the police statue and conditions at the jail. No, I’m not canceling."
Trammel and Smith agree that there are complex public safety problems in Richmond.
With 34 homicides and 141 shootings so far in 2022 in Richmond, police in the city are still short on manpower.
Officers are being stretched thin, but Smith insisted that those who serve the Richmond Police Department are dedicated to turning things around.
"I’m so proud of the officers,” Smith said. “When I pulled up today to see the way they provided care and comfort to the family that just witnessed their love one being killed. It was extraordinary to see."
Smith said it's going to take the community to give information that can help solve some of these violent crimes.
