Residents in Norfolk, Virginia, are shaken after a violent street takeover on Sunday night that raised serious safety concerns.
Norfolk Police reported that the incident took place at the intersection of Redgate Avenue and Greenway Court in West Ghent around 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
One suspect, identified as 19-year-old Isaiah Duncan Simmons from Virginia Beach, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and negligent damage to property resulting from fire.
While there were no injuries reported, the situation was chaotic. One individual was reportedly wielding a flamethrower, and another was pouring from a gas can to ignite a fire.
Video footage showed people walking near the intersection, witnessing what appeared to be a flamethrower and a ring of flames.
Another clip captured fireworks being launched while bystanders watched.
Concerned residents requested action from city officials, leading to an emergency community meeting on Thursday night.
Norfolk Police Chief Mark Talbot informed attendees that the first 911 calls regarding reckless driving and the gathering came just before 8:30 p.m.
Officers initially responded shortly after but were redirected to a higher-priority call involving a man being pursued by an armed individual.
“We didn’t have enough resources to respond,” Talbot explained. “Officers who arrived at Redgate were diverted to handle the armed situation.”
As more reports emerged about possible gunshots and an increasingly hostile atmosphere, the officers were redirected to West Ghent.
Councilor Courtney Doyle, a local resident, recounted the chaos: “It felt like everyone was scattering, chased like bats out of hell,” according to WAVY.
During the meeting, officials mentioned that some vehicles involved in the incident had been confiscated.
Law enforcement also noted that the Criminal Intelligence Unit is looking into the situation and is seeking assistance from the community to identify participants.
“It’s not every day you see the streets lit up by fire at night. We want to ensure every neighborhood has a chance to hear from city leaders about what transpired and how we can prevent it from happening again,” said Paul Rice, president of the West Ghent Citizens Federation.
