‘Every child deserves to grow up to be an adult’
Portsmouth leaders encourage residents to speak up after 7-year-old boy shot
On May 29, community members in Portsmouth’s Southside Gardens neighborhood gathered to honor a man who was killed in nearby Prentiss Park.
That night, five others were shot at the vigil on Edwards Street, including a 7-year-old boy and his stepfather, said local pastor Barry Randall.
The 7-year-old now has a bullet in his leg that won’t be removed anytime soon.
“Mom told me that they’re going to leave the bullet in his leg because they didn’t want to risk causing further damage,” Randall said.
He has recommended counseling to the boy and his mother, and said that in addition to potentially being shot, there are other traumas that young black people face, including living in poverty.
That’s why he held the “I Deserve to Grow Up without Getting Shot” prayer and protest against gun violence Friday night — National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
While much of the country hosted protests and rallies to fight police brutality in response to the death of black people like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Randall spent the night encouraging residents to call police when they see something.
At least 45 community members, around eight police officers and local leaders like De’Andre Barnes, Shannon Glover and Vice Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke gathered to talk about making the Southside Gardens community safer for its residents.
Randall said he heard from residents that shooting is common in Southside Gardens.
While he understands that some people are afraid to speak up, it needs to be done, he said.
“We need to stop nicknaming,” he said. “We need to call it what it is. You’re selling drugs in the community. You’re selling poison in the community. You’re selling alcohol in the community. Silence is con
“Sometimes, it’s about what we do to ourselves ... When we come together, Portsmouth will be better.”
sent. Every child deserves to grow up to be an adult.”
Police Chief Angela Greene also attended, and said that the shooter has been identified, and warrants are out for his arrest.
Keith O. Elliott, 25, is wanted for aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and brandishing.
Greene said the police department wants to work with community members and the Southside Gardens property manager to make sure the area has officers to patrol the area.
If a business wants to hire additional officers for protection, they contact the police department’s part-time coordinator. They pay an
— Lisa Lucas-Burke hourly fee for an officer to patrol that area, she said.
“At one point when I was here, they actually hired officers to be here, to be present,” she said.
Now, the property manager doesn’t have the budget to hire officers dedicated to the neighborhood. The way it works now is if calls are made to police, someone will come out, and when police have time between calls, they patrol the area on foot, Greene said.
“It depends on if it’s a busy night or day, and what does staffing look like for the day,” she said. “We don’t like to gamble on those chances. We would like to have a person dedicated to this area.”
Lakeesha Atkinson wants to work with both police and the property manager, too. During her speech to residents, she said “an idle mind is the devil’s playground.” Children need things to do.
“I was raised here, right over there,” Atkinson said, pointing to a unit in the complex. “There used to be a playground right here, there used to be a basketball court. You can’t not have that.” She wants to schedule another meeting with the property manager.
Also on the mic was LucasBurke, who said that while the protests against police brutality are important, there’s still work that needs to be done at home.
“Sometimes, it’s about what we do to ourselves,” she said. “Our legislators in Virginia have created legislation that will give us control over the use of guns in our communities, and we need to use that to empower our communities. When we come together, Portsmouth will be better.”
Saleen Martin, 757-446-2027, saleen.martin@pilotonline.com