Manassas Residents Voice Crime Concerns
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In an interview with Potomac Local News, Robyn Williams, a Manassas School Board member and candidate for the Manassas City Council, highlighted vital community issues. Crime emerged as a significant concern among voters, with Williams noting, “I didn’t realize crime was so high on everybody’s lists…” During her campaign, she has encountered residents expressing unease about crime, with some even planning to move.
Williams, a Republican seeking one of three seats on the city council in the upcoming November 2024 General Election, explained that while funding and educational priorities remain central to her platform, crime has become a notable topic during her door-to-door interactions with voters. She mentioned, “We knocked on doors this weekend, and we had four people just in the group that I was knocking tell me that they’re moving because of crime.”
The fear comes as five people face charges after two people we shot outside the food court at Manassas Mall on July 9, 2024. One of the suspects, Daevon Russell, 18, of Manassas, had been released from jail on pre-trial bond in connection to a December 2023 incident when he was charged Reckless Handling of with a Gun Causing Permanent Serious Bodily Injury, a class 6 felony. His charges were later escalated to the Prince William County Circuit Court, where he was indicted on multiple counts, including Reckless Handling of a Firearm, Use of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm Under 18 Years Old, and Malicious Wounding.
As Williams campaigns for a seat on the City Council, she aims to address these concerns by advocating for better collaboration between the council and the Commonwealth Attorney Amy Ashworth’s office to tackle crime effectively. “Perhaps as counsel, we need to work a lot closer with the Commonwealth Attorney’s office,” she suggested.
Williams has served on the city school board for eight years and said her election to the city council would help balance the elected body. Democrats have controlled the council since 2021, where the makeup is six Democrats and one Republican.
Last week, we asked Ashworth about the Daevon case and why he was out on bond despite the severe nature of his previous crimes, and she told us she could not speak to the facts of his case.
Manassas Mall is located just outside the city, in Prince William County, where the rate of violent crime has skyrocketed since 2019. However, crime in the city has been trending downward, according to the city police department’s annual crime statistics report.
Violent Crimes:
In 2023, the city recorded zero homicides, compared to two cases of murder/non-negligent manslaughter in 2019. The number of forcible rape cases decreased from 16 in 2019 to nine in 2023. Robbery incidents also reduced, with 14 cases in 2023, down from 26 in 2019. Aggravated assault cases dropped from 52 in 2019 to 37 in 2023.
Property Crimes:
Burglary incidents decreased from 56 in 2019 to 34 in 2023. However, larceny incidents increased from 538 in 2019 to 711 in 2023. A total of 76 cars were reported stolen in the city in 2023, up from 44 in 2019.
Domestic Violence:
In 2019, there were 652 reports of domestic violence, with 200 arrests made, resulting in an arrest rate of 68%. In 2023, there were 568 reports of domestic violence.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI):
In 2019, there were 131 DUI arrests. In 2023, there were 194 DUI arrests.
Calls for Service:
The total number of calls for service in 2019 was 59,822, with officer-initiated activity accounting for 40,291 calls. Calls increased to 69,000 in 2023.
Arrests:
In 2019, 2,177 individuals, including 120 juveniles and 2,057 adults, were arrested, and 3,095 people were arrested in 2023.
Traffic Enforcement:
There were 6,808 traffic citations issued in 2019. A total of 7,600 traffic citations were issued in 2023.
Traffic Crashes:
In 2019, Manassas recorded 1,735 total accidents, 648 of which were reportable crashes. In 2023, that number was 1,702 total accidents, 576 of which were reportable crashes.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse:
There were 300 mental health calls, 56 opiate overdoses, and 12 fatal overdoses reported in 2019. In 2023, there were 292 mental health calls, 42 heroin overdoses, and seven fatal overdoses.
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