Shockoe Bottom shooting revives long violence cycle

The early Saturday morning mass shooting in Shockoe Bottom was the latest in a string of violence going back decades in one of Richmond's oldest neighborhoods.

Why it matters: The Bottom's recent history shows that high-profile violence can become a tipping point prompting lasting policy changes.

State of play: Shockoe Bottom has a long and complicated history, but the flood-prone valley as a Richmond nightlife destination didn't really begin until the mid-1980s and super-charged in the mid-'90s, after the Floodwall was completed.

• After the Floodwall was done in 1995 and the district was mostly protected from frequent flooding, developers flocked in, converting old warehouses and buildings into apartments and retail, Style Weekly reported.
• New restaurants, clubs and music venues quickly joined existing Shockoe spots, like Bird in Hand, Chetti's, Moondance and the Flood Zone.
• By the early aughts, Shockoe Bottom had arrived. The nightlife destination offered high-end restaurants like Havana '59 and Julep's, live music at Alley Katz and The Bottom Line, late-night eats at River City Diner and dancing and debauchery in Tiki Bob's and Have a Nice Day Cafe, plus dozens more.

Zoom in: Just as the Bottom's upswing began, so did the violence. By mid-2004, Richmond Police started ramping up patrols in the neighborhood after nine people were shot, per Style.

• It wouldn't matter. The end of summer brought Hurricane Gaston, which left much of the Bottom submerged. It took some businesses two years to recover. Some never did.
• In 2010, the Bottom was back, but not the same. Another spate of violence brought another round of increased police attention — and action by Richmond City Council, which passed an ordinance requiring nightclubs get a permit to operate, Style reported.

Yes, but: The Bottom was improving. Between 2005 and 2010, Shockoe Bottom was on track to see a 50% decline in major crimes, per Style.

• But by then, the Bottom had a perception problem, it seemed.
• There were efforts by City Hall to turn things around. Notably, former Mayor Dwight Jones' failed pitch to put a baseball diamond in The Bottom, the years-long renovation of 17th Street Farmers' Market and former Mayor Stoney's Shockoe Project plan, which brought new businesses to the district. For a bit.

The latest: Guns — the sheer number of them on the streets and in the hands of crowds flocking to Shockoe Bottom on the weekends — are the problem, Richmond Police chief Rick Edwards said in response to the Saturday shooting.

• RPD Major Crimes is investigating the mass shooting and asking anyone with information, particularly video to call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

What's next: Mayor Danny Avula said Saturday that the city's new Office of Gun Violence Prevention is working on a "community ambassadors" program that will focus on the bars and clubs and should launch by summer.