Teen speaks at gun violence prevention march after surviving 2018 shooting

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

“I was shot in the head. It all happened on my father's 50th birthday. I went and hid while my friends ran,” Malachi Smith said. “Then all of a sudden, darkness.”

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — In many ways, Malachi Smith is a typical teenager, already making plans after high school.

“I hope I get a scholarship and go to college,” he said Wednesday night.

However, in many ways he is not a typical teenager, also sharing Wednesday night how he survived a shooting at just 10 years old.

“I was shot in the head. It all happened on my father's 50th birthday. I went and hid while my friends ran,” Smith recalled. “Then all of a sudden, darkness.”

The teen joined dozens of others affected by gun violence in a community march in downtown Newport News on Wednesday. A city-run homicide support group meets once a month, but on Wednesday organizers invited community members to join them.

Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew was in attendance. He says even though homicide rates are down in the city compared to last year, one shooting is one shooting too many. “There is no justification for taking a gun and killing someone,” he said. “Once you pull the trigger, you can’t take it back.”

Chief Drew added that it is impossible to pinpoint a specific reason for the violence, but that simple conflicts and disagreements now often lead to gun violence. “We are working on de-escalation,” he said. “It’s good to go.”

Smith is now a member of the Newport News Young Adult Police Commissioners program, which meets with law enforcement on a weekly basis.

He said: “I have always been interested in the police force. So I took the opportunity, signed the waiver, and I've been stuck with it ever since.

Although he can't change his past, Smith says he uses it to impact the future.

“I really take the time to think. It wasn't just me; it was the community that was affected.

According to the NNPD, there have been eight homicides in Newport News this year, compared to 12 at the same time last year. Four of those eight remain under investigation. Non-fatal shootings are down 15% year-over-year, with 32 incidents in the same period in 2023, compared to 27 this year.