A report of masked people allegedly damaging property near 9th and Main Streets in Richmond led officers to five juveniles on Monday night, and one of them, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested after police say he had a firearm in his possession. The teen now faces preliminary misdemeanor charges of child in possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana.
Masked Group Reported Near 9th and Main
According to Fox 59, Richmond Police Department officers responded around 6:45 p.m. Monday to reports of suspicious activity involving multiple masked people near 9th and Main Streets. The caller said the group was allegedly damaging property, the outlet reported.
Officers tracked the group to the area of S. 7th and South 8th Streets, where they encountered five juveniles reportedly wearing ski masks, per the same report. Police determined that one of them, a 16-year-old male, allegedly had a firearm in his possession.
Teen Taken to Juvenile Detention, Others Released to Parents
The 16-year-old was arrested on preliminary misdemeanor charges of child in possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana and was transported to a juvenile detention facility, the station's report states. The other four juveniles were released into the care of their parents and legal guardians.
Richmond police said officers are encountering juveniles with firearms with increasing frequency, and the department said it is committed to aggressively addressing incidents involving firearms, particularly those involving juveniles, according to a statement given to WDTN.
A Pattern of Firearm Arrests Involving Young Teens
Richmond Assistant Chief Neal VanMiddlesworth told Fox 59 that it was “just an uptick in violence associated with teens,” as WIBC reported, adding that police have dealt with violence involving people as young as 12. He said that 16- and 18-year-olds had been arrested for violent crimes during October.
Other recent Richmond cases echo that pattern. WDTN reported that a 16-year-old boy was arrested on the city's north side by Richmond police and Wayne County Sheriff's Department deputies on firearm-related charges, including child in possession of a firearm, and that Luis Wool was arrested on Oct. 28 facing charges of intimidation with a deadly weapon and pointing a firearm. Separately, Fox 59 reported that a man and a 12-year-old boy were arrested for unlawful carrying of a handgun on a Wednesday.
In October, a juvenile was injured in a shooting near Lions Park in Richmond after police received reports of gunfire involving several juveniles around 6:15 p.m., Hoodline previously reported. Hoodline reported that the other incidents had not been confirmed to be connected to the Lions Park shooting.
Police Urge Parents to Stay Involved
Richmond Police Department officials said parenting today faces challenges from social media influences, socioeconomic pressures, and mental health concerns, and they stressed that the consequences of a young person carrying a firearm can be life-altering. The department urged parents and guardians to know where their children are, who they are spending time with, and what activities they are involved in.
