PETERSBURG, Va. β Three people have been arrested for celebratory gunfire on New Year's Day after a video surfaced showing shots being fired in a Petersburg neighborhood.
The incident happened in the 900 block of North Gilfield Drive. Police say what may be even more disturbing is the additional gunfire heard in the background of the two videos investigators received.
"It was a very disturbing video," Petersburg Police Chief Travis Christian said.
After seeing the video, Christian said he is amazed no one was injured.
"These individuals were handling the weapons in a reckless manner. They were discharging the firearms in the direction of residents, very disturbing," Christian said.
A grandmother of two who lives in the area asked not to be identified but was willing to express her concerns about hearing gunshots.
"My thought is to duck, fall to the ground, to the floor, grandchildren, you know? And it shouldn't be, you have to live on pins and needles cause gun violence sounds so close to your home," she said.
When the three people in the video aren't shooting, more gunshots can easily be heard in the background.
"We're fortunate there were no tragic incidents as a result of this unnecessary gunfire," Christian said.
Petersburg Police detectives determined from the video where it took place, then determined the identities of the three people in the video.
"Two of the three individuals were convicted felons," Christian said.
The following people are charged in connection to the celebratory gunfure:
- Gregory Fells, 60, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Andrew Powers, 45, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, reckless handling of a firearm and discharging a firearm in a public place.
- Alexia Powers, 22, is charged with discharging a firearm in a public place and discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of school property.
"I'm so glad that the police did arrest the three individuals for the gun violence in the neighborhood because bullets ain't got no name," the grandmother said.
Petersburg Police executed a search warrant in relationship to the three people they arrested and have recovered one of the guns used that night. Police also say they continue to investigate other cases of New Year's Day celebratory gunfire in the city.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
