ROANOKE, Va. – Less than an hour after the conclusion of a Gun-Violence Workshop, three people were shot in the Hurt Park area of SW Roanoke.
Deputy Chief Jerry Stokes said two of the three victims were juveniles.
“We had three victims. Two were juvenile males with what are non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and an adult female with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound,” Stokes said.
Police have still not arrested a suspect in the incident. Anyone with any information is asked to reach out to Roanoke Police.
[Leaders hear from Roanoke’s Gun Violence Prevention Commission on prevention, intervention programs]
Stokes said police got the call around 5:30 on Monday evening. Around thirty minutes prior, local leaders were wrapping up a Gun-Violence Workshop over at the Berglund Center.
10 News spoke with Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea ahead of the meeting on his thoughts on the work of groups like the Gun Violence Prevention Commission.
“I am frustrated with the fact that we look good and sound good on paper, but the outcomes aren’t happening,” Lea said.
After hearing about the shooting, Mayor Lea’s frustrations continue.
“I was very impressed with some of the presentations that were made today but we still have this old-age problem of gun violence occurring. As soon as we walk out the door, not far from where we are … there’s gun violence,” Lea said. “I’m disappointed with that. I’m disappointed in the fact that regardless of what we’ve done ... it doesn’t seem to change things.”
Some programs the commission highlighted during Monday’s meeting were the reading program at Lincoln Terrace Elementary School, the Groceries not Guns buyback program, and the distribution of free gun locks in city schools and during city events.
And while appreciative of long-term solutions, Mayor Lea said there needs to be more of a focus on preventing and addressing the issue right now. One of his biggest concerns lies in how many guns are in households and on the street.
“We got so many guns on our street. I think we’ve got to be much more progressive, not only at a local level but at the state level in guns. Everybody has a weapon,” Lea said.
Lea plans for City Council and the Gun Violence Prevention Commission to meet individually in the coming weeks to discuss further actions.