A juvenile female was rushed to the hospital after being shot late Friday night in the 2600 block of High Street in Portsmouth. Portsmouth police responded to the scene around 11:03 p.m. and located the girl suffering from a gunshot wound before she was taken for treatment.
The shooting remains under investigation, according to WAVY.com. No further details about the teen's age, condition, or any suspects have been released. The station's report does not indicate whether anyone has been detained in connection with the shooting.
Portsmouth has also seen other gun violence incidents. On July 23, a shooting on the 2600 block of High Street killed 33-year-old De'Shaviya Donnisha Jerry; Portsmouth police later arrested two high school-aged juveniles and charged them with second-degree murder in that case, per the same account from 13newsnow.com.
A City Already Grappling With Rising Violence
The repeated gunfire in Portsmouth fits into a broader pattern that has alarmed city officials. The Virginia State Police annual crime report released in July found that Portsmouth recorded 759 violent crimes in 2025 — an increase even as statewide violent crime dropped nearly 6% over the same period, according to 13newsnow.com's coverage of the state data.
That local spike comes despite some encouraging signs earlier this year. Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins reported in April that citywide homicides had declined 25% year-to-date, even as the city saw significant surges in robberies and building thefts over the same stretch, 13newsnow.com reported at the time.
City Treats Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis
In response to the persistent violence, the Portsmouth City Council approved Project IMPACT in August, an inter-agency strategy that treats gun violence as a public health emergency by coordinating city departments and partner organizations within 24 hours of major shootings.
The stakes extend beyond any single incident. A report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that firearms were the leading cause of death among children and teenagers nationwide in 2024, underscoring the broader toll of gun violence on young people.
Virginia law already restricts juvenile access to firearms. Under Virginia Code § 18.2-308.7, it is a Class 1 misdemeanor for anyone under 18 to knowingly possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm outside narrow statutory exemptions, such as inside a private home with parental consent.
High Street's Historic Role
High Street is a historic commercial and civic artery laid out in 1752, and it hosts major public gatherings including the annual High Street Fest, which draws thousands of visitors to the commercial strip between Water and Effingham streets, as Hoodline reported earlier this month.
Statewide, aggravated-assault rates fell 17.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the third quarter. Portsmouth's experience along High Street, however, suggests that broader statewide declines have not necessarily reached every neighborhood.
No additional details about the condition of the juvenile victim or any potential suspects have been released as the investigation continues. Hoodline will update this story as more information becomes available.
