Activists call for community, police and city leaders to come together after violent weekend in Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The bloodshed is widespread, with six shootings scattered to nearly every corner of Norfolk between Friday and Sunday night.

Three people died, including a 15-year-old girl and two men.

Teonna Coburn was shot and killed Saturday night while walking with her brother on East Tanners Creek Drive. Her 17-year-old sibling was also shot but is expected to be OK.

40-year-old Calvin Byas died after being shot on Old Ocean View Road Friday night.

Another man died on Vimy Ridge Road in the Lafayette-Winona neighborhood.

Three more people were injured in shootings in the Ghent, St. Pauls and Wards Corner areas.

It was disheartening to hear for Clayton Marquez with Stop the Violence — Guns Down. He works in Norfolk neighborhoods talking to kids and taking their guns.

“In the past eight or nine months, I’ve had five people turn in guns to me — five kids — and I turned them over to the Norfolk Police Department. So, that’s five less guns on the street that could have killed one of our children,” he said.

Marquez grew up on the streets in Norfolk, spent 10 years in jail and lost his own son to gun violence 12 years ago.

“It’s like it’s becoming counterproductive, it’s like we’re taking a step forward and two steps backwards,” he told WAVY.

But Marquez is not giving up telling 10 On Your Side.

“A lot of times we know who these shooters are that’s doin’ the crimes and we need to push them out,” he said.

He’s asking the whole community to join him in his mission.

“The police department, the mayor the city council the activists and the community at large, we just need to come together and do something about it,” he said.