343 Days Without a Shooting Victim in Resort Area Comes to an End; Immediate Arrest Made

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Up until May 28, 2022, the City of Virginia Beach had gone 343 days without a shooting victim in the Resort Area. Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) officers and Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office (VBSO) deputies providing enhanced weekend visibility heard gunshots and located a shooting victim in the 2100 block of Atlantic Avenue. VBPD, VBSO, and City of Virginia Beach EMS personnel provided lifesaving aid until the victim could be transported to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Lamont Walton, Jr., (M/21) of Virginia Beach, was located within seconds of the incident. He was subsequently arrested that night and charged with Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Concealed Weapon.

Though such a longstanding streak concluded over the weekend, the immediate arrest of Walton demonstrates the significant improvements the VBPD, and the City of Virginia Beach have made over the past year in a key area of the city. Due to the up staffing strategies and partnership with the VBSO, the victim was located before the first 9-1-1 call was made, likely saving their life. Additionally, the suspect was quickly located by assisting officers. The additional cameras recently placed in the resort area captured the incident from multiple angles. The VBPD substation provided officers and deputies with a strategic location to stage, as thousands visited the resort area over the holiday weekend.

Now, with a multi-pronged enforcement strategy firmly in place, violent crime in the resort area has decreased by -68% from January 01, 2022, through May 25, 2022, compared to the same time period in 2021, with Aggravated Assaults by -88% compared to the same time period.

The VBPD will not be able to deter all violent crime; however, with the benefits of significant technological upgrades, revitalized partnerships with our various community and safety partners, modernized staffing strategies, and investments in infrastructure, we promise we will do our best to ensure violent criminal offenders face swift arrest. The VBPD encourages everyone to visit and enjoy the City of Virginia Beach, but we remind everyone that violent crime, especially gun violence and illegal weapon possession, will remain a primary focus of your VBPD.