Overview

• Police Chief Rick Edwards told council the department is studying an entertainment overlay that would bar firearms in nightlife zones, drawing comparisons to restrictions in New York’s Times Square.
• Shockoe Bottom now has intensified weekend coverage through mandated overtime, with roughly a dozen officers deployed on Friday and Saturday nights to manage large crowds.
• Edwards cited recent violence and close calls, including the May shooting of a city public works employee and an April incident where a suspect returned with a rifle before being arrested.
• Under Virginia law, creating a gun-free overlay would require consent from 75% of property owners, a 30-day public posting of the proposal, and a public comment period.
• Council members questioned legality, enforceability, and effects on residents and businesses, requested a formal recommendation from Edwards, and community responses ranged from support to skepticism.