UPDATE 1/1/2016 6:51 AM
Sent in this morning by Elizabeth from near 32nd and Q Streets: The sounds of New Years 2015/2016
[sep]
The East End has the reputation for getting kind of shooty on New Years Eve. Not the intentionally violent kind, but the “going out and shooting what you’ve got” kind.
It’s all for fun, maybe to scare away the bad spirits, but it can still be nerve-wracking when it’s too close. Every year people say that it sounds a little more quiet than the year before.
Annectdotally: I had a student come in after the break my last year of teaching, all excited because “my dad let me shoot off so many guns on New Years!”
The police say to call in and report any shots that you hear. The non-emergency number is (804) 646-5100.
Y’all be careful out there.
53 comments
Oh man. Thanks for the warning.
Julie Oliver liked this on Facebook.
Mick Hope liked this on Facebook.
Lauren Marie Rodgers liked this on Facebook.
People do know that bullets shot up into the air are still bullets, right?
Sadly, they do not.
They’ve apparently never heard, “what goes up must come down.”
When I worked at The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club, it seemed like each spring we’d notice a leak in the gym, and without fail it would always be traced to a bullet in the roof.
Deanna Lewis liked this on Facebook.
If I’m home, I don’t go outside for anything. People seem to forget that what goes up must come down. 🙁
Oh, and adding to this–if you’re going to fire off fireworks, please finish up by 1. Last year they went on until 3, which is a bit excessive.
Brian Hall liked this on Facebook.
RIP Brendon Mackey – http://www.richmond.com/article_6ac46553-562c-5212-88ef-b284a1643875.html
Karen Smith liked this on Facebook.
Dogs? Tranquillized. Bullet proof vest? Yep! Happy New Year from the East End!!
Kristie Dillon liked this on Facebook.
Robert Cobb liked this on Facebook.
We had to have our roof repaired after one of those idiots’ bullets fell through it and caused a leak.
I just replaced a metal roof that had several bullets embedded in it. We think this is how at least some of the leaks that necessitated the replacement got started. One of the folks who worked on it/looked at it told me he collects the ones he finds, and that most of them are from the East End…
@8 I know someone on N. 29th who made an insurance claim about his metal roof after someone shot off a gun(s) from Sugar Bottom years ago. It absolutely does happen, and we have quite a few metal roofs around here. Shooting in the new year is unfortunately a tradition in some areas.
Jessica Fleenor liked this on Facebook.
Noisy around George Mason
Are fireworks happening tonight or is this all actual gunfire I’m hearing???
Guns!
This is terrifying me. I hope it stops soon.
I wonder who or what will be harmed by all those bullets when they land. I hope to never be in this part of town for another New Years 🙁
20mins into the new year and all I can hear are gun shots and no sirens. This is pathetic.
I implore you to call the Richmond first precinct department (may take a while to get someone) and tell them this is a practice that residents will no longer accept.
Done. I can’t believe this would ever be considered acceptable. I’m not a combat vet, but I am still shaking and terrified. I can only imagine what this must be like for people with more severe PTSD.
Weeeeeee
Just reported about 6 shots around the 600 block of 32nd. We’ve heard them all night, as usual for new years, but I finally called since these were especially close and I could actually give an estimated location.
I make these calls way too often year round. It’s ridiculous and getting extremely old.
Crazy guns tonight… Too many! I was surprised. Thanks for the tip!
Cynthia Tobin liked this on Facebook.
Brinkley Jones liked this on Facebook.
Sent in this morning by Elizabeth from near 32nd and Q Streets: /wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Happy-2016.wav
Kathy Young Farley liked this on Facebook.
Gina Fontes liked this on Facebook.
That clip is crazy John! Wow.
CHPN needs to put up a GUNS WILL BE FIRED announcement every NYE. We moved here in 2011. Gunshots were scary that NYE. Now we know to stay inside.
Wow, is this what happens when the freedom of speech/expression (perceived) and the right to keep/bear arms co-mingle???
Looks like we’ll continue to have this conversation every 5th of July & 1st of the year!
Sound like a war zone
G, I don’t think the folks doing this are constitutional scholars. Hell probably half of them don’t realize how gravity works.
It would be interesting to know where most of the police calls are being initiated. Is this a problem all over Church Hill or in selected areas? Possibly making folks more aware of where the problems are, additional attention could be focused on surveilling and apprehending the culprits.
This was my 9th New Year’s Eve in Church Hill and that was the loudest and longest ‘celebration’ in several years. I heard guns and firecrackers fairly steady until 2 am and still some after that. Crazy!
Kind of glad we are in NY for new years this year. Snow instead of gunshots. 🙂
Ridiculous
An observation that I may be criticized for: If we could encourage folks to fire blanks rather than bullets (this is a thing, right?) then everyone could have a safer holiday. I think encouraging people to modify a behavior might be easier than getting them to give it up all together. Perhaps there are other ways to permit this sort of thing but control how it happens.
Maria Onsel liked this on Facebook.
Charlie Barnes liked this on Facebook.
FWIW, my friend on the northside got a “don’t forget shots will be fired” reminder from their community association too. It’s a thing. I wish it was just sparklers and firecrackers.
I’ve said this before, and I stick to it: legalize all fireworks, and I guarantee we won’t be dealing with as much gunfire.
It got reported on Channel 12 – http://www.nbc12.com/story/30867521/terrifying-tradition-gunfire-rings-in-new-year?utm_source=site&utm_medium=meganav&utm_campaign=meganav
We had a bullet come through our roof at 29th and Franklin
New Year’s Eve gunfire in Fairfield Ct. Richmond, VA
http://video.richmond.com/New-Years-Eve-gunfire-in-Fairfield-Ct-Richmond-VA-30159810?ndn.trackingGroup=91348&ndn.siteSection=rtdstudio_hom_loc_sec&ndn.videoId=30159810&freewheel=91348&sitesection=rtdstudio_hom_loc_sec&vid=30159810