RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond officials are considering creating a gun-free entertainment overlay district for Shockoe Bottom and other areas as police chief says the growing number of guns in the area makes keeping it safe increasingly challenging.
The proposal was discussed during a City Council safety committee meeting Tuesday night, where Police Chief Rick Edwards compared the concept to New York’s Times Square, where firearms are prohibited even for those with concealed weapons permits.
“New York, in Times Square, it’s illegal to possess a firearm, even for those who have concealed weapons permits, so something like that I think could be really helpful,” Edwards said.
“Legislatively, if we were to do something like a entertainment overlay district in which we could — and I’m going to think that would be Scott’s Addition, Shockoe Bottom, Carytown — that would provide some enforcement mechanism,” said Council Member Sara Abubaker.
The gun-free zone idea comes as police have intensified patrols in Shockoe Bottom following a series of shootings and violent incidents when large crowds gather in the area. Edwards’ department has mandated overtime for 4 officers each weekend night, resulting in about a dozen officers patrolling Shockoe Bottom every Friday and Saturday night.
Watch: Richmond boosts Shockoe Bottom police presence after violent incidents
But designating areas as gun-free requires several steps, according to Council Member Stephanie Lynch. The Virginia law that would enable such districts is the same law that designates open container areas at festivals or on Richmond restaurant sidewalks during the height of the pandemic.
The process requires 75% of property owners to agree, the potential designation must be posted for at least 30 days, and there must be a public comment period.
As Lynch noted, Carytown already voted down such a designation some time ago, suggesting the trade-off between open containers and guns is not as simple as it may appear.
Nonetheless, city officials are studying that option for Shockoe Bottom as they seek new tools to address safety concerns in the entertainment district.
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