RICHMOND, Va. -- A day after being named the city's permanent top cop, Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards provided an update on crime stats through the first half of the year.
The stats reveal that while violent crime is down, property crime is up in the River City.
For example, burglaries are down, but things like shoplifting and car theft are up.
For violent crime, assaults are down, but homicides are up.
Unrelated but concerning to Edwards is the increase in accidental shootings as those have already surpassed last year's numbers. In fact, several juveniles are now included in the number when there were none last year.
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Edwards also briefly addressed the Altria Theatre graduation shooting that left two dead and several injured. The last comments he made were via a video message almost a month ago after a planned news conference was canceled that same day.
Edwards reiterated that he and the commonwealth's attorney decided it was better for the integrity of the investigation to call it off and just release the statement.
"What I will say about that case, is that what we owe our community and what we owe the families of those who are involved is the truth about what happened," Edwards said. "And that truth is going to come out in John Marshall court building."
The suspect, Amari Pollard, has a preliminary hearing scheduled in District Court next week.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
