City plans Spring Forward initiative to combat youth violence over spring break
Richmond is launching a coordinated operation to reduce violence among young people during spring break.
Under the Spring Forward Initiative that will run from March 27 through April 5, Richmond Police Department Chief Rick Edwards said officials will be “focusing like a laser those 10 days to ensure that our children are safe.”
Data collected by RPD show that anywhere between one and four shootings involving youth have occurred during every Richmond Public Schools spring break since 2021.
Over the past five years, 11 juveniles aged zero to 17 have been shot during the break, and five have died. When young adults aged 18 to 24 are included, the numbers rise to 27 shot and 11 killed.
Last year, 15-year-old Dora Hill was killed in a shooting during spring break. A 17-year-old boy was later charged with her death.
The Saturday-to-Saturday stretch of the vacation “is critical,” said Greg Hopkins, director of the city’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
During that time, numerous city departments and nonprofit partners will offer a series of activities like “mini-camps” at city parks and properties owned by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority in an effort to give young people meaningful opportunities off the streets.
Some events, like “Bingo Beats and Safe Streets,” will target adults as well as young people. Additional activities are expected to be added to the calendar as spring break draws nearer.
“Part of it is also reaching out to family members, parents, loved ones of young adults to understand the risks that we’re seeing,” said Edwards, who warned that a contributor to youth violence is adults and parents renting out spaces for large unchaperoned pop-up parties that can then explode into fights and gunfire.
“They’re incredibly dangerous,” he said. “So something I want to just caution our parents and caregivers to look for that: Don't rent hotel rooms or short-term rentals for your kids to have a party if you're not going to be there and chaperone.”
Contact Reporter Sarah Vogelsong at svogelsong@richmonder.org
