The meeting will be held online on Zoom. You can participate by clicking this link. Franklin represents the Woodbridge District, the site of a series of shootings in recent years.
Last month, a 9-year-old girl was playing in her neighborhood in the Rippon Landing section of Woodbridge when a stray bullet struck her. On June 9, Newsham told the Board of County Supervisors the child could suffer injuries that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Two days later, police charged a 15-year-old boy with the shooting. While the girl remains hospitalized, “parents [in the neighborhood] are probably afraid to let their children go outside,” Newsham added.
On April 15, a 14-year-old girl was shot at a spring break carnival at Gar-Field Senior High School in Woodbridge. She’s expected to recover, police said.
Crime is on the rise in the county, Newsham explained. Most concerning are assaults with serious injuries (aggravated assault), usually involving a weapon. On June 9, Newsham reported:
- 2021 — 261 reported aggravated assaults in Prince William County
- 2022 (so far) — 366 reported aggravated assaults
- 40 percent increase
Also, in May, two adults were shot at a children’s flag football game played at Benton Middle School and three homicides (two in Woodbridge and one in Dumfries).
On June 16, a 19-year-old died after being shot outside a Safeway store in Dale City.
