Random gunfire strikes Chesterfield home, injures teenager

TL;DR: Random gunfire struck a Chesterfield County home Thursday evening, injuring a 14-year-old resident through a bedroom window; police are investigating.

The story

A 14-year-old Chesterfield County resident was injured Thursday evening when random gunfire struck their home on Curtis Street. According to Chesterfield County Police, a bullet pierced through the front of the residence and entered the teen's bedroom around 8:30 p.m., striking the left side of their face with a metal fragment and causing a laceration. The injury was minor and did not require hospitalization.

Police determined the gunfire was random with no apparent motive or intended target. Officers discovered a single bullet hole in the home's front during their investigation. There is no suspect information available at this time, and the case remains under investigation.

This incident reflects an ongoing public safety concern in Chesterfield County regarding stray bullets and uncontrolled gunfire. Virginia law prohibits discharging firearms within 600 feet of a dwelling, business, public building, or gathering place in Chesterfield County. Such violations are classified as a misdemeanor, or a felony if injury or death results, under a law enacted following the 2013 death of 7-year-old Brendon Mackey, who was struck by celebratory gunfire at Swift Creek Reservoir on July 4th.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Chesterfield County Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660.

Why it matters: This incident highlights the serious dangers of random gunfire to Chesterfield County residents, particularly children in their homes. A minor injury this time could have been fatal, underscoring the vulnerability of residential areas to stray bullets and the need for community vigilance in reporting unsafe firearm discharge.

Places

• Curtis Street
• Chesterfield County

Related links

• Chesterfield County Police Department
• Chesterfield County Code Section 14-10: Firearm Discharge Regulations
• 12 On Your Side Coverage

Read the original at NBC12 / WWBT News →

Sources

• Police: Random gunfire hits Chesterfield home, injures 14-year-old
• Police warn against celebratory gunfire to avoid deadly incidents (WRIC)
• Death of 7-year-old boy shot on July Fourth in Virginia (Fox News)
• Chesterfield County Police Department
• Teen injured in random shooting in Chesterfield
• Teen struck by gunfire fragment in Chester