RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Families in the neighborhood of Church Hill in Richmond are fearing for their safety after bullets tore through homes and cars in two separate shooting incidents only a week apart.
Julia Horracks showed 8News the damage done to her home after someone fired a gun from a playground behind Henry Marshall Elementary School.
“That’s the hole that was in the garage and my husband was actually in the garage when that went through,” Horracks said.
Horracks also said that last night’s bullets also hit her husband’s windshield. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time bullets had come their way. Last week, on Feb. 15, another bullet pierced her neighbor’s home, landing in a child’s bedroom. Horracks says she and her neighbors have been living in fear ever since.
“Quite frankly after living here for so long and growing up in Richmond I was scared,” she said. “Scared to sit in my room and watch TV.”
Fortunately, no one was injured in the shooting incidents but Horracks and her neighbors say both incidents were too close for comfort.
“I worry that there are going to be kids on the playground, there is going to be people walking their dogs, taking their trash out, coming home from the gym or from work and all of a sudden their life is tragically turned upside down,” Horracks said.
The person — or persons — responsible for the shooting incidents have not yet been identified.
8News reached out to Councilmember Cynthia Newbille of the 7th District to discuss the incidents. Her office said that before they can establish permanent solutions — such as lighting deterrents — the City must acquire the land that the playground. Richmond Public Schools currently owns the land.
According to Newbille’s office, conversations about a transfer of land ownership started last night. There is no word yet on how long it will take to come to an agreement.
In the last 24 hours, the Richmond Police Department and the City put up temporary lighting in an effort to deter the shooters. For the time being, Horracks says that the new lighting has helped her feel more secure.
“I can’t wait for darkness and it’s going to light up the field and that’s going to make us feel secure,” Horracks said.
The temporary lighting will be activated around 6:30 p.m. every evening until midnight over the course of the next week.
Anyone with information on the two shooting incidents is encouraged to contact the Richmond Police Department.
