On July 4, multiple shooters opened fire on one another among a crowd of people gathered in Charlottesville’s Fifeville neighborhood.
Five people were shot, including two children, a 10-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy; two teenagers, a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl; and a 52-year-old woman. As of Monday July 7, all of the victims survived their injuries, police reported in a July 5 news release.
As of July 5, police had made no arrests, and a spokesperson for the Charlottesville Police Department did not respond to Charlottesville Tomorrow’s request for an update Monday afternoon.
While the investigation continues, Fifeville residents gathered to process and mourn together over the weekend. Leaders from the Fifeville Neighborhood Association organized a community gathering at Abundant Life Ministries, a nonprofit on Prospect Avenue, near the site of the shooting.
The organizers invited representatives from local groups that offer free or low-cost mental health care.
Subscribers to The Daily Progress can read more about the gathering here.
“I think the need in that moment was to reflect, see one another face-to-face, offer a safe and welcoming space for neighbors and visitors in our community and to offer mental health resources,” said Amanda Burns, a Fifeville resident and member of the Charlottesville City School Board, who helped organize the gathering.
The residents continue working to provide support to those affected.
“There has been an outpouring of professionals wanting to support the community and help them process the incident,” Sarah Malpass, with the Fifeville Neighborhood Association, told Charlottesville Tomorrow in an email. “Abundant Life is working to connect all the organizations so they can be on the same page about how to move forward and get resources to those who need them.”
In the meantime, for anyone who needs additional support, we have compiled a list of organizations offering free or low-cost mental health services, along with resources for those experiencing crisis, violence or instability.
(We will be adding more resources as we hear back from the organizations on their options and intake policies.)
Local mental health services:
- Region Ten Community Board manages a 24-hour crisis hotline for folks experiencing mental health emergencies for both English and Spanish speakers. You can reach it at 434-972-1800.
- The Women’s Initiative offers free mental health counseling services to women and folks in the LGBTQ+ community. You can make an appointment online or by calling their office at 434-872-0047. The group also holds a twice weekly wellness clinic, available for walk-in clients on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Spanish available) at their Main Office at 1101 E. High St. in Charlottesville.
- The group works primarily with women, but will also do an initial consultation with men to help them figure out what kind of help they need and where they might find it.
- The waitlist to see a counselor is about two to three weeks.
- ReadyKids is a Charlottesville-based nonprofit offering free counseling to children and their families who have experienced trauma. There is a waitlist, but you can contact them to get more information at 434-296-4118.
- Burns also recommends that parents contact their child’s primary care clinician or pediatrician for resources and to help them start to process what they experience. Adults who have primary care providers can also start there, she added.
Know something about the July 4 shooting? Here’s how you can report it:
- Report directly to the Charlottesville Police Department by dialing 911, or calling the unit’s non-emergency line at 434-970-3280.
- Prefer to report anonymously? Crime Stoppers, a nonprofit organization, has an anonymous tip line at 434-977-4000.
Local safety resources:
- Central Virginia Violence Interrupters, a Charlottesville-based organization focusing on stopping gun-violence through mediation and conflict de-escalation, has a hotline available for those who want their assistance de-escalating conflicts that might turn violent. Reach them 24 hours at 434-365-4187.
- The group also provides assistance to anyone looking for ways to exit gangs.
National resources:
- If you’re experiencing a mental health emergency, help is available 24 hours a day at the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline. Simply call or text 988.
