VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — In the grainy security surveillance video from the Oceanfront, you can see at least one person in a hooded sweatshirt — possibly two — who is in the middle of a scattering crowd, firing a gun while in full retreat.
The time of the video is early Sunday morning, near 19th Street, after a violent night at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Three people were injured.
Bella Pizza and Pasta owner Ahmed Harmache tells 10 On Your Side business has never been worse. The video is grim — and certainly not what Virginia Beach business owners want to promote.
“We need more police to come and protect the Oceanfront, and what they have here patrolling obviously is not enough,” Harmache said.
Police will brief City Council Tuesday afternoon about what’s being done to address two major protests, several incidents with at least six shootings. Business owners like Harmache appear fed-up,
“They say they want to hire private security, and that makes no sense. We are paying taxes. We are supposed to have more protection,” Harmache said.
Police tell us they’ve increased patrols at the Oceanfront, but many business owners told us if that’s true, police need to increase it more.
We contacted Virginia Beach Police and spokesperson MPO Linda Kuehn emailed us.
“This past weekend was a very busy summer night at the Oceanfront with heavy crowds. Additional staffing was provided from the other precincts to supplement the Oceanfront as it became busier throughout the night.” MPO Kuehn did not have a specific number to confirm. “Interim Chief [Tony] Zucaro will be addressing the staffing and safety concerns at the Oceanfront with city council.”
We also saw tourists walking past boarded-up windows and doors. There is trash, and wood, and debris in walkways and alleyways, and something just doesn’t seem right.
Krispy Krunchy Chicken owner Jim Bailey said incidents such as Sunday’s shooting don’t make the Oceanfront seem like a good place to stay.
“Virginia Beach, to me, has always done a great job as far as beautification, and those kind of things from the tourist standpoint. If I had my family here, I really wouldn’t want to stay here to be honest with you,” he said.
Angelia Williams, a visitor from Baltimore, says something doesn’t seem right.
“That is awful. That’s awful. It’s just become vandalism, and that’s not right at all. That feels wrong … that businesses lose so much,” she said.
The city told us they will issue notices of violations to property owners, and follow up every week for status reports to take down the plywood from windows and clean up around the property.
We asked Williams what she plans on telling friends back in Baltimore about Virginia Beach.
“I would say overall it was nice. We had a good time, but you have to realize what’s really going on there … something is not right,” she said.