HOPEWELL, Va. -- Hopewell leaders say they are looking to reverse a violent trend following a wave of crime across the city.
Until late July, Hopewell was enjoying a 71% decrease in violent crime. However, over the past two weeks, the decrease sharply jumped to just 2% after a violent 14 days.
"There's a need for the community to step up - we had a double homicide recently where there were 150 to 200 people there and nobody saw anything."
Hopewell has been a hotbed for violence, which began with a double homicideduring a house party on July 21.
Police say they not only had to work the crime scene but also had to call neighboring jurisdictions for help as partygoers turned on the police.
"It's outrageous, it's going to be the last time it happens. I've already got my staff and the police department going through the videos,” Hopewell Commonwealth Attorney Richard Newman said, referring to the house party. “We've picked out individuals being aggressive and we are going to identify them. As soon as we do - we are going to prosecute."
Hopewell Deputy Chief Donald Reid added more, saying that it was an unprecedented situation. "It'll be the first and last time that happens and it'll be the first and last time our officers are treated like that."
Since the double homicide, four more people have been shot in Hopewell, with the latest shooting on August 4.
"It's very frustrating - we had such a successful year of gun violence reduction and violent crime reduction and over the course of two weeks you almost wiped away all that success," Virginia Delegate Carrie Coyner said.
Success, the police department says, can be measured in many different ways.
However, they believe one of the most important pieces to their violent crime reduction is the non-profit Real Life volunteers helping those in need to navigate a new tomorrow.
"Our life coaches have done a really good job, working with people, mentoring folks, and providing opportunities for some to do something different that are immediately at risk," Real Life founder and director Dr. Sarah Scarbrough said.
Hopewell Police Chief Greg Taylor did confirm some of their shootings do have connections to other nearby cities like Richmond and Petersburg.
All law enforcement agencies including the state police have been working together to make arrests.
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