RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney praised Richmond Police and the citizen who provided a tip about an alleged mass shooting planned for a July 4 celebration in Richmond.
But when Crime Insider Jon Burkett asked the mayor about the weekend shootings ofsix people on Broad Street in downtown Richmond and the fatal shooting of a man at a West Main Street restaurant, the mayor turned his focus on guns, judges, and the federal government.
"[Gun violence is] an epidemic here in Richmond and has been an epidemic for generations here in the city. But it's obvious now, that this is an epidemic all across this country," Stoney said. "Unfortunately, because of the proliferation of these weapons of war and who can get their hands on them, whether you're at home in your cul-de-sac or in your neighborhood or in a park or at a parade, out dining, you have to keep your head on a swivel. And that's not the country that I know I desire to live in."
Stoney said communities needed help from the federal government and federal law enforcement.
"We are grateful for our police department, but we don't have the tools necessary to stop the flow of weapons into the hands of those who want to harm people — bottom line," he said. "I appreciate what the federal government has done, Congress and passing the recent bill on on on firearms. But I'm telling you right now we need more. And so if members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, want to pat themselves on the back like they've done something, come to urban areas like Richmond on a day-to-day basis, weekend to weekend, and we're going to tell you, you're going see for yourself, that we need more policies to keep people safe. So these weapons of war don't get in the hands of the wrong people."
The mayor also talked about his frustration with the role some judges play in the cycle of violence in Richmond.
"We need judges to do their part and make sure [criminals] stay behind bars," Stoney said. "If you are a criminal who's willing to take someone's life or wanting to harm anyone, you should be behind bars a little bit longer, I think. But also we need state and federal governments to step up as well. Unfortunately, when things don't happen at the top level, at the federal government and state level, we are on the frontlines, our communities are on the frontlines. And so we lock them up, then the Commonwealth Attorney does their part to put them away. But then when they're getting light sentences, and they're back out on the street, that puts more into the activity log for our officers. So we can do all the investing, we can change policies which are in our power that we have here locally, but if we don't get any help from the judicial branch, or from the state government or federal government, this is going to be a continual cycle. And unfortunately, that's been the case for generations, in urban locales, like Richmond."
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
