NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Police are searching for the person who shot a three-year-old early Monday morning. This is the fifth child shot in Norfolk in 72 hours.
Clayton Marquez is the president of Stop the Violence Guns Down.
"It hurts. To see this going on in my own community,” Marquez said.
Norfolk Police said the shooting happened before 12:30 a.m. Monday on St. Paul’s Boulevard.
Investigators said they went to CHKD for a report of a 3-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound. The child is expected to be OK.
"It’s heinous, when a crime is committed," Marquez said. "Last night we had a Stop the Violence unity with the mayor and chief of police and other activists.”
He said city and local leaders came together to try and figure out how to solve the growing gun violence problem in Norfolk.
"The community has to step up. If you see something, you need to say something,” he explained. “We got to run these bullies from out of here. The gang violence that is going on, it is real. We just need to do our part. Chief Boone said we all need to do our part."
On Friday afternoon, a 15-year-old boy allegedly shot four children on Madison Avenue in Norfolk. Police said a 6-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl and boy were shot during a gathering inside a home. Investigators told 13News Now all the victims were expected to survive.
"A lot of these kids need adult supervision. Someone who has love in their hearts, and just talk to them, say something positive to them. Lead them on the right path to the job corps or wherever they need to go," Marquez said.
Marquez said he started going into the community and talking to teens to let them know about resources, and how to stay out of trouble.