RICHMOND, Va. — One year after CBS 6 organized a STOP the Violence Town Hall in Richmond , we are following up with the community to see if anything has changed.
What improvements have been made?
What solutions are in place for people living in so called “hot spots” of violence?
When Richmond saw a spike in gun violence earlier this year, Richmond Police launched Operation Safe Summer earlier than expected, starting in April rather than June. Operation Safe Summer teamed Richmond Police up with Virginia State Police to focus efforts on known crime hot spots.
CBS 6 anchor GeNienne Samuels took a look at what’s been done in the last year to help kids and teenagers off the streets in Richmond during the summer and after school ends for the day, especially in crime “hot spots.”
One concern brought up during the STOP the Violence Town Hall was the need for community centers and programs for children.
Stop the Violence Town Hall July 2023
“I would want to know how the Calhoun Center has been closed for 12 years, but yet the city opened it to let Kevin Durant film a movie there. But these babies didn’t have a pool for Olympic sized swimming pool in Gilpin Court in the Calhoun Center,” town all attendee named Keisha asked the panel.