Commonwealth's Attorney

Newport News, VA — Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard E. Gwynn, alongside Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew and many other dedicated community partners, today announced the release of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team’s preliminary report, underscoring their unwavering commitment to combat domestic violence through community collaboration and systemic improvements.

The release of the report coincides with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and Howard Gwynn along with crime survivors and community partners will hold a remembrance ceremony in honor of the victims and survivors of crime, tonight at 6:30 PM.  The event will be held at the Brittingham-Midtown Community Center and will also feature vendors and non-profit organizations which support crime victims in Newport News. The event is free and pre-registration is not required.

The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, co-chaired by the Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the Newport News Police Department, reviewed a series of domestic violence-related fatalities that occurred in Newport News between 2017 and 2023. The report outlines key findings and recommendations aimed at strengthening professional training, community education, and systemic coordination to reduce domestic violence and prevent future fatalities.

“Strong prosecution of domestic violence is homicide prevention,” stated Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn. “I recognize that truly safe communities require partnerships that extend far beyond the walls of the courthouse, so we continue to work with our partners to end domestic violence in Newport News, building safety through collaboration with this community.”

Key findings from the report include:

• 21% of all homicides in Newport News were related to domestic violence.
• Firearms were the fatal agent in 75% of the domestic violence-related cases reviewed.
• Most of these incidents occurred within shared residences.

The report highlights extensive recommendations, including ongoing training for mandatory abuse reporters on identifying and reporting suspected abused or neglected children, and expanding community education on firearm safety, particularly related to homes with children.

The Police Department and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office are already engaged with Newport News Public Schools in youth education to help teens identify and get help with domestic violence and dating violence situations. Team members are hopeful to expand this training across additional public and private educational institutions in Newport News. Additionally, the report calls for strengthening inter-agency collaboration and increased support for victim advocacy services.

“We stand against the silence of abuse,” said Chief Steve Drew of the Newport News Police Department. “We will continue to work with our community partners to break the chains of violence and provide unwavering support to identify ways to prevent and put an end to domestic violence in our community.”

The Newport News Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team is a multi-disciplinary group of professionals who meet monthly to review the facts and circumstances surrounding domestic violence related homicides in Newport News, with the aim of diminishing the likelihood of future domestic violence fatalities.

In addition to the Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney and Police Department, other agencies which participate in the Fatality Review include the Newport News Court System, Newport News Juvenile Court Service Unit, Transitions Family Violence Services, Virginia Department of Corrections — District 19 News Probation and Parole, Newport News Department of Human Services – Child Protective Services, Hampton-Newport News Criminal Justice Agency, Newport News Public Schools, Newport News Fire Department, and Riverside Health System – Forensic Nurses.

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