RICHMOND, Va. — City Council, the Richmond Police Department and business owners debated potential solutions following Saturday's mass shooting in Shockoe Bottom, which killed Genesis Jones, 23, and Dominic Jackson, 42, and injured seven others.
Mike Byrne, director of the Virginia Restaurant Association, said he supports any policy that keeps weapons off the streets. But Byrne argued that targeting ABC license enforcement would be more effective than trying to stop people already breaking the law.
"You still can't drink alcohol and carry a gun, but they are. They aren't enforcing ABC licenses," Byrne said. "We're not working with the ABC board like we should be and I applaud the police department for what they've done, but it's not up to them. It's up to the issuing of the licenses for those that operating."
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards pushed back, arguing ABC enforcement would not have prevented Saturday's shooting.
"This wouldn't have been stopped by that. The bars were closed and some of the individuals involved were not even celebrating in Shockoe Bottom. They were at other bars. They came here after to hang out," Edwards said.
Edwards also said efforts to make Shockoe Bottom a gun-free zone have been tabled in the General Assembly and will not be discussed until the next session.
Edwards said he supports Mayor Danny Avula's push for a Community Ambassador Program, which would appoint and train intervention specialists to support police in managing safety in the area. But Edwards said the program would require significant planning before it could be put in place.
"We're prepared to support the mayor's efforts in this in any way possible, but I don't know how they would be hired, qualifications, or what the marching orders would be. I just know that the mayor's informed me that other cities have used it as a piece of their strategy. I'm just looking for any solutions at this point," Edwards said.
Bishop proposed a faster solution — expanding the police enforcement window in the entertainment district.
"On behalf of myself and some other business owners would like to ask yet again to move the police enforcement window back to 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. since many of the issues are happening later in the night," Bishop said.
Edwards said that plan was already in the works and is being fast-tracked to this weekend.
"We took some advice from folks asking and some of the business owners mentioned this to extend our footprint from midnight to 4 a.m. in order to have that presence. Even though most people are not, that's when people are the drunkest and that's when significant events can occur," Edwards said.
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