State and city officials engage with Roanoke community after recent homicide
Roanoke, Virginia – Following a recent homicide in Northwest Roanoke City, both state and local officials convened with the community with the aim of forging trust and establishing stronger relationships.
Roanoke City Police data indicates that from January 1st to August 13th, 2023, 33 out of 48 reported gun-related incidents where individuals were struck by bullets occurred in Northwest Roanoke. The locations of two such incidents remain undetermined.
Roanoke City Police Department’s Interim Chief, Jerry Stokes, commented on the matter, stating, “Some of the neighborhoods in Northwest are particularly stressed by violent crime. So, we definitely wanted to get out here – hear what people have to say, hear their concerns.”
On Wednesday evening, a significant number of Northwest Roanoke residents participated in a community forum. Rita Joyce, Co-Founder of FED UP, was among the attendees, expressing her eagerness to understand the official responses to pressing questions.
Participants in the forum sought clarity on topics including gang violence, investigations, local cleanliness, and, notably, gun violence. Rita Joyce highlighted her particular concern about gun violence, noting, “It’s important for me to know what are they doing, how they are doing it, and what results are we going to get, because we’ve had too many this year.”
Stokes addressed all inquiries raised by the community, viewing the forum as a foundational step towards cultivating safer neighborhoods. He expressed optimism, stating the aim is to “Start to build our partnership with the neighborhoods to hopefully bring some peace to the community and reduce violence.”
Notably, the meeting also saw representation from state agencies, such as the Virginia Department of Corrections, the state attorney general’s office, and Virginia State Police. Local entities, including Roanoke City Fire-EMS and the city council, were also present. Roanoke City Mayor Sherman Lea encapsulated the broader objective: “Let’s put our heads together and find out where we should focus as we go forward to not only curb gun violence but to stop it as much as possible.”
The city’s officials have indicated plans to facilitate similar meetings across all city sectors in due course.
