The City of Richmond has instituted an 11 p.m. curfew for all juveniles as part of an early start to its Operation Safe Summer initiative.

The curfew, which starts tomorrow on April 19, comes in the wake of multiple deaths and injuries due to gun violence in recent weeks.

City leaders, education and law enforcement officials gathered at City Hall Monday afternoon to detail their response to ongoing instances of gun violence, and to stress the need for a concentrated, collaborative effort to end the violence.

“We are throwing the entire kitchen sink at this ongoing problem,” Mayor Stoney said. “We’re gonna use everything in our Human Services Division, the trauma-informed network, all of it to ensure that we reduce the amount of these incidents occurring in our neighborhoods.”

According to Richmond Police Department Chief Rick Edwards, the last two weeks have seen eight deaths in the city from guns, with four victims being juveniles.

Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras also said that Bellevue Elementary School, Chimborazo Elementary, Martin Luther King Middle School, Armstrong High School, Thomas Jefferson High and Richmond Alternative School have been impacted by the recent shootings.

“It’s been a terrible two weeks in our city,” Chief Edwards said. “Kids have seen their parents killed. Parents have seen their kids killed.”

As part of Operation Safe Summer, Virginia State Police and RPD officers will collaborate to patrol 21 hotspots for gun-violence in the city. Several RPS schools also will see increased police presence during drop-offs and pick-up times, with a particular focus on schools in the city’s East End.

The introduction of Operation Safe Summer last year led to a 30% reduction in gun violence, an overall 7% reduction in violent crime in general, with 176 illegal firearms confiscated, said Chief Edwards.

The mental and emotional toll of the lives lost due to gun violence was clear in the tone of the conference as officials called on parents and families to be more involved and responsible in addressing this problem.

“To all the young people out there and to families, I want you to know RPS is a place where your children will be loved,” Mr. Kamras said. “All that we ask in return is that you do everything you possibly can to help our young people make the best possible choices, the best possible decisions, so that these arguments do not become deadly.”

Officials who spoke at Monday’s press conference emphasized the importance of family members taking more active roles to help prevent access and use of guns.

Other opinions also were voiced.

Richmond City Councilmember and Mayoral Candidate Andreas D. Addison focused on the value of community investment and commitment in a statement after the press conference.

“Access to guns is only one part of the problem,” Mr. Addison said. “We must also look at the negligence and divestment in our communities that have fueled the flames of this crisis.”

“Black and Brown kids don’t need our slogans, thoughts or prayers. They need us to stop turning our backs on them.”

While city officials stressed there will be accountability for those committing gun violence regardless of age and assistance, they acknowledged limits to their ability to monitor the city’s youth, particularly at home.

“All these individuals here at City Hall, the police department, all the teachers who devote their time and effort to loving these young people, they can’t be home with those kids at night,” Mr. Stoney said. “So that’s why I’m calling upon our parents and our guardians, for us to step our game up.”