NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — By now, community members know what happened on Killam Avenue Saturday night into Sunday morning. Two were killed by gunfire and five were injured.
People who live in the neighborhood, like Andrew Hund, wants the violence to stop.
He owns Hund’s Re-cycle Factory, has lived here his whole life, and he is fed up with the violence.
“I believe it’s time to take back our neighborhood. It’s time we act and put an end to some of these landlord practices.”
Hund says he sees it every weekend in his Highland Park neighborhood.
“It is a hot spot to party. It’s clear, we see cars ripping down the street at 50-60 mph, and not giving a hoot.”
Hund was coming home from Hampton Saturday night when everything was going down on Killam Avenue.
“My wife was on the bedroom floor with my 3year-old son, and I could hear them in the background. That gunfire could have resulted in my son’s death all because of their stupid behaviors. I think enough is enough. It is out of control.”
Hund actually thinks it is time to change Killam Avenue. He thinks maybe Killam is the wrong name for the street.
“It is a constant party and there are parties everywhere and, unfortunately, Killam has bred a lot of negative activity, and with a name like Killam, how can you start with anything positive?”
Nearby, a car window got blown out by a bullet, hitting a little too close to home.
“A bullet struck a vehicle 50 feet from where my son lies in his bed. You talk about my poor 3-year-old son, and is now saying ‘daddy, gun fire, daddy gunfire’ and he’s only three.”
“Killam Avenue, there is nothing more negative to hear the word ‘kill.’ Let’s go with ‘Love’ it would be a good start.”
Hund is also a Highland Park Civic League member, and on Thursday they will have a meeting, and the mass shooting will be brought up. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Immanuel Presbyterian Church located on 4700 Colley Avenue.
“We are going to address some of these matters: the landlords renting to any Tom, Dick, and Harry. I think it is time to address these owners of these establishments or homes or apartments and hold them accountable.”
Hund’s business is to connect people back to their bikes. Now he is trying to connect his community back to each other to make it better.
“At the meeting, we hope to have a resource officer help us plan the attack on how to address these issues, and put a stop to this hoopla.”
Hund is also hoping for a discussion with police and elected officials, and to constantly reach out to rise above the tragedy of this mass shooting.
“I feel we are in a good place to begin reaching out to our youth, into our young adults, and throwing up some spotlights and having more police presence, and appreciating police for what they do.”