Virginia’s Hampton Roads Homicide Surge
Much of the USA saw a small reprieve in homicides in 2022. However, Virginia kept surging and many parts of Virginia are seeing an even higher frequency of homicides in 2023. The Hampton Roads region seems to be at the forefront of this surge.
Hampton Roads is a cluster of seven independent cities near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay in southeastern Virginian. The name Hampton Roads refers to where the James Rivers feeds into the Atlantic Ocean.
At the center of Hampton Roads is Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, and Portsmouth, which are all connected by a circular network of interstates. All four of these independent cities has a chief prosecutor who is part of the far-left “progressive” Virginia Progressive Prosecutors For Justice [VPPFJ]. This was created during the deadly nationwide BLM riots.
“After VPPFJ/BLM” compares the average homicide rates from 2017-2019 to the average homicide rates in 2020-2022.
Statewide:
2017: 470 (8,471k, 5.5 per 100k)
2018: 417 (8,511k, 4.9 per 100k)
2019: 426 (8,557k, 5.0 per 100k)
2020: 524 (8,591k, 6.1 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1998
2021: 562 (8,642k, 6.5 per 100k)
2022: 621 (8684k, 7.2 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1997
VPPFJ/BLM: 28.6% Increase
The chief prosecutor or “Commonwealth’s Attorney” is listed under each city name.
City of Norfolk
Gregory D. Underwood – VPPFJ Democrat, In power since 2009
2017: 34 (245k, 13.9 per 100k)
2018: 37 (244k, 15.2 per 100k)
2019: 37 (244k, 15.2 per 100k)
2020: 49 (238k, 20.6 per 100k)
2021: 62 (235k, 26.4 per 100k)
2022: 63 (239k, 26.4 per 100k)
After VPPFJ/BLM: 65.7% increase
City of Newport News
Howard Gwynn -VPPFJ Democrat, In power since 1990
2017: 26 (180k, 14.4 per 100k)
2018: 24 (179k, 13.4 per 100k)
2019: 25 (180k, 13.9 per 100k)
2020: 25 (186k, 13.4 per 100k)
2021: 30 (185k, 16.2 per 100k)
2022: 31 (186k, 16.7 per 100k)
VPPFJ/BLM: 11.0% increase
City of Hampton Homicides:
Anton Bell – VPPFJ Democrat, Took power in 2012
2017: 17 (135k, 12.6 per 100k)
2018: 14 (135k, 10.4 per 100k)
2019: 15 (135k, 11.1 per 100k)
2020: 24 (137k, 17.4 per 100k)
2021: 27 (138k, 19.6 per 100k)
2022: 24 (139k, 17.3 per 100k)
VPPFJ/BLM: 59.3% increase
City of Portsmouth Homicides:
Stephanie N. Morales – VPPFJ Democrat, In power since a special election in February 2017
2017: 16 (95k, 16.8 per 100k)
2018: 19 (95k, 20.0 per 100k)
2019: 16 (95k, 16.8 per 100k) – Morales publishes rap song “Booty Poppin”
2020: 34 (98k, 34.7 per 100k) – New record for highest rate ever
2021: 36 (98k, 36.7 per 100k) – New record for highest rate ever – Morales re-elected
2022: 42 (97k, 43.3 per 100k) – New record for highest rate ever
VPPFJ/BLM: 114.0% increase
City of Suffolk Homicides:
Previous chief prosecutor was Phil Ferguson, an independent
2017: 3 (95k, 3.2 per 100k)
2018: 2 (95k, 2.1 per 100k)
2019: 6 (95k, 6.3 per 100k)
2020: 3 (95k, 3.2 per 100k)
2021: 6 (96k, 6.3 per 100k)
2022: 13 (99k, 13.1 per 100k)
VPPFJ/BLM: 94.8% increase
City of Virginia Beach Homicides:
Colin Stolle – Republican, in power since 2014
2017: 14 (450k, 3.1 per 100k)
2018: 16 (450k, 3.6 per 100k)
2019: 30 (451k, 6.7 per 100k)
2020: 17 (459k, 3.7 per 100k)
2021: 15 (458k, 3.3 per 100k)
2022: 23 (461k, 5.0 per 100k)
VPPFJ/BLM: 10.4% decrease
City of Chesapeake Homicides:
Matthew R. Hamel – Republican, in power since 2022
Previous chief prosecutor was Nancy Parr, also a Republican
2017: 11 ( 240k, 4.6 per 100k)
2018: 7 (243k, 2.9 per 100k)
2019: 16 (245k, 6.5 per 100k)
2020: 13 (250k, 5.2 per 100k)
2021: 24 (251k, 9.6 per 100k)
2022: 21* (252k, 8.3 per 100k)
VPPFJ/BLM: 65.0% increase
Chesapeake had a six person mass shooting in 2022. Andre Marcus Bing, a 31 year old Black male killed six people in a Walmart. For 2023, homicides appear to be way down. Gun Violence Archive is only reporting two gunfire homicides, both black on Black, for 2023 so far.
