VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Fifty-three arrests, nearly 200 criminal charges and dozens of weapons off of the street in Virginia Beach.

That’s what Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate is touting after the arrests in separate incidents over a popular spring break weekend.

According to officials, between April 25-27, officers responded to multiple incidents, including several shooting-related offenses, one in which resulted in a person shot in the 1400 block of Pacific Avenue Sunday.

Police said that, of the nearly 200 criminal charges filed as a result of the 53 arrests, many of them are related to firearm offenses, with a total of 28 firearms confiscated over the weekend.

Two days later, folks visiting from out of town say they feel safe.

“Going up and down the boardwalk, it feels very safe,” said Jonathan Starzyk, visiting Virginia Beach from Chicago. “Everyone seems to be minding their own. It’s a little alarming to hear, but I mean, everything seems picture-perfect to me.”

Neudigate said crimes are being committed by a small group of local young people, not those coming from out of town.

“We have become the new mall, you know, where young kids would go unattended without supervision and hang out,” Neudigate said. “But what have malls done? They’ve put some restrictions in place because of the disorder. But we’re in a public venue, and now, we’re forced to deal with it from a police perspective, and I think that’s where we are.”

Many of those charges were drug related, from marijuana possession to public intoxication. But others were more serious — carrying a concealed weapon and shooting a firearm in public. They say officers responded to several shots-fired calls and one person who was shot in the 1400 block of Pacific Avenue.

“You would think [you’re coming] to enjoy yourself and have a good time, but you’re coming with an AR-15-type rifle slung to your chest,” Neudigate said.

Still, he says the Oceanfront is a safe place to be, and that overall crime is down.

“In 2020, we had 65 Part 1 violent crimes committed in the resort area,” Neudigate said. “Last year, we had, I believe it was 32. So, over a 50% reduction.”

And he has this to say to the community–

“The pledge to the community is that we’re hyper-focused on trying to address the small number of individuals that are coming down there with criminal intent,” Neudigate said.

Chief also said only a few hundred people were in the event area for the Vibe Check Music Festival, with another 3,000 to 4,000 more teens and young adults on Atlantic Avenue.
He also mentioned an uptick in the shooting incidents happened, oddly enough, Sunday morning after the crowds had gone.

Police released the arrest information from some of the incidents over the weekend:

Friday, April 25

• 14-year-old boy arrested in 600 block of 25th Street — charged with possession of schedule VI narcotics
• 53-year-old Dorian Rogers arrested in the 2400 block of Boardwalk — charged with intoxication in public
• 29-year-old Bria Crocker arrested in the 400 block of 21st Street — charged with malicious assault, not reporting a vehicle accident with damage and two counts of intentional damage of property and trespassing
• 31-year-old Bakari Butler arrested in the 1900 block of Baltic Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a loaded weapon in public
• 38-year-old Daniel Alexander arrested in the 5100 block of Goldboro Drive — charged with carrying a concealed weapon
• 21-year-old Devin Tellez arrested in the 2100 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed weapon
• 20-year-old Savon Sandiford arrested 2000 block of Mediterranean Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed weapon, fleeing from a law enforcement officer, unauthorized use of a highway crossover and underage possession of marijuana
• 19-year-old Malik Eastman in the 600 block of 21st Street — charged with carrying a concealed weapon
• 21-year-old Kalani Watkins arrested in the 500 block of 21st Street — charged with DWI (drugs)
• 23-year-old Jeremiah Hurdle arrested in the 3000 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with shooting at an occupied building, reckless handling of a firearm, assault, enter property to damage and two counts of intentional damage of property
• 18-year-old Daveyahn Johnson arrested in the 600 block of 21st Street — charged with carrying a concealed weapon and underage possession of marijuana
• 19-year-old Vincent Lee arrested in the 600 block of 21st Street — charged with carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a loaded firearm and removing/altering the serial numbers of a firearm

Saturday, April 26

• 23-year-old James Kelly arrested in 2300 block of Boardwalk — charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, carrying a concealed firearm, felon in possession of a firearm and eluding police
• 22-year-old Dorsey Donivan arrested in 1200 block of Laskin Road — charged with DWI (alcohol)
• 22-year-old Terron Hargrove arrested in 2000 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed firearm and carrying a loaded weapon in public
• 43-year-old William Reed arrested in the 2500 block of Boardwalk — charged with assault on LEO, fraud and two counts of resisting arrest
• 18-year-old Shawn Heckstall arrested in the 1700 block of Boardwalk — charged with possession of a firearm on school property, carrying a loaded weapon in public and contributing to the delinquency of a minor
• 24-year-old Yahmel Rodgers arrested in the 300 block of 20th Street — charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, felon in possession of a firearm, displaying a firearm during the sale of a schedule I/II substance and fleeing from LEO
• Yahyaa Richardson arrested on Atlantic Avenue — charged with public intoxication
• 18-year-old Layuana Briseno arrested in 200 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with fleeing from LEO
• 26-year-old Larry Reeves arrested in the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with assault on LEO
• 20-year-old Jermaine Williams arrested in the 1800 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with public intoxication, disorderly conduct and fleeing from LEO
• 20-year-old Cameron Wickware arrested in the 2100 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with disorderly conduct
• 24-year-old Ty-Meer Williams arrested in the 2000 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed firearm
• 21-year-old Sharcor Cotman arrested in the 2100 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with receive stolen or aid in concealing firearm
• 19-year-old Troy Sharper arrested on 19th Street — carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a loaded firearm, fleeing from LEO and wearing a mask
• 25-year-old Everett Turner arrested in the 1800 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with carrying concealed weapon, carrying loaded firearm and intentional damage of property
• 23-year-old Umar Johnson arrested in the 1800 block of Pacific Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed weapon
• 29-year-old Miguel Cardeno arrested in the 1600 block of Hazel Avenue — charged with DWI (alcohol), reckless driving and eluding LEO
• 22-year-old Marques Minor arrested in the 2200 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a loaded firearm

Sunday, April 27

• 22-year-old Tyron Clanton arrested in the 2100 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with carrying a loaded firearm
• 20-year-old Shaunae Fauntleroy arrested in the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with disorderly conduct
• 19-year-old Nasir Eddings arrested in the 2200 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a loaded firearm
• 22-year-old Makhi McDaniels arrested in the 2100 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with public intoxication and assault on LEO
• 20-year-old Christopher Braswell arrested in the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged carrying a concealed firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and failure to ID to police
• 22-year-old Jay’nod Harvey arrested in the 2800 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a trigger activator, two counts of assault, petit larceny, providing false ID to LEO and wearing a mask in public
• 23-year-old Nashun Simmons arrested in the 2800 block of Atlantic Avenue — charged with intentional property damage, carrying a concealed weapon, shooting a firearm in public and reckless handling of a firearm
• 36-year-old David Driggins arrested in the 5800 block of Lake Edward Drive — charged with DWI

Police said that the recent criminal activity in the resort city, however, does not represent Virginia Beach.

“We are a community that values safety, hospitality, and respect for the law,” Neudigate said. “Our city is proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world. However, let me be clear: we will not allow individuals who come here to commit crimes — especially those involving firearms — to disrupt the peace and safety we have worked hard to build. We had enhanced staffing in place to maintain order, deter criminal actions, and seek out those engaged in illegal firearm acts – our officers acted swiftly and professionally this weekend to ensure that those who endangered our community were caught and held accountable.” 

Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate spoke with WAVY TV about the weekend arrests. Watch the full interview in the player above.