Shooting at Riverwood Apartments

This past friday night it was like the wild west in Colonial Beach. We were walking on 4th Street when a vehicle stopped at the entrance of Riverwood Apartments and someone from inside the vehicle starting shooting a gun towards the apartments. A security guard was in his vehicle nearby, but luckely no one was hit by gun fire. The vehicle sped off on 205 towards McDonalds. The police were able to stop the suspects, but I do not know if any arrest were made.

It was probably a drug deal gone bad or Pound Property gang revenge

Lovely. If we actually had a decent police force, this wouldn't be happening. Our town is small enough that a gang should be able to be shut down, quickly.

Of course, if the kids, teenagers, and young adults actually had something to do, maybe they wouldn't be involved in drinking and drugs, so much.

It's the out-of-towner's who come down to sell their drugs that cause problems when the local dealers can't come up with their money! Prove me wrong.

Bit of advice to the "out-of-towner's"... Riverwood now has cameras (some with infrared night-vision) that can capture just about anything built into their new area-lights so I've heard...except license plates at night.

We have some excellent officers and a street experienced police chief. We need to double the size of the department to be effective. With only 11 officers, it is hard to have more than one or two on duty at a time with days off, 24 hour coverage, training, court, sick leave etc. The officers get bogged down with all the domestic violence, etc. calls and are not able to be visible and proactive.

Close to home wrote:

Lovely. If we actually had a decent police force, this wouldn't be happening. Our town is small enough that a gang should be able to be shut down, quickly.
Of course, if the kids, teenagers, and young adults actually had something to do, maybe they wouldn't be involved in drinking and drugs, so much.

The Riverwood Apartments are a black mark for this community. They profit an absentee landlord who makes a bundle on the section 8 housing program. The tax revenue the town receives is not worth the trouble this apartment complex causes with its drugs, violence, and disruption to the community. The apartments should be torn down and turned into a public park to replace the eye sore it is now.

No need to worry. The 30-year federal grant that the Riverwood management company has been using to subsidize the apartment complex is expiring in less than 3 years. At that point, there will be no incentive for the management company to continue operating Riverwood. They'll need to sell the property. There is no guarantee that the next purchaser of the apartment complex would continue it as government-subsidized housing. This means the tenants of Riverwood would be evicted. The prospective new owner would have to actually apply NOW for grant funding to allow the political red-tape to take its course. So Riva-wood is in it's last stages of life.

And, where do y'all expect all the people who live in Riverwood to go? This town needs subsidized housing, especially for the woman of our area, as women in Colonial Beach make, on average, 11000 dollars a year less than their male counterparts.

I agree Zetty, I work 5 days aweek 10 hour days and commutte to NOVA/DC for the last 12 years, and everyday I drive by Riverwood Apartments and all I see is people sitting around doing nothing on my tax dollars. I can't even beleive they still even have section 8. Man what a frick'n life.

GO GET A JOB!

Suzyka wrote:

And, where do y'all expect all the people who live in Riverwood to go? This town needs subsidized housing, especially for the woman of our area, as women in Colonial Beach make, on average, 11000 dollars a year less than their male counterparts.

The "ghetto mammies" could move to Frederickburg where there are employment opportunities, job training, public transit, and better social services. Colonial Beach offers none of this.

If you build it, they will come.

i live there.....i work hard too.......and i get mad as well but some of those people "just sitting around" actually need our tax dollars i know them personally.....we're not all just some human toxic waste to be scoffed at by an insensitive passer-by so of us are intelligent hard working people..........i stand on my feet for 9 hours night too and i don't mind it i get paid....i'm happy

wow "ghetto mammies"........to be expected nevertheless

just a thought........go to school..........no, not a GED.......i am talking college.....graduate......then get a job and work like hell........this country will reward you if you do that........or you can go the other route and drop out of school or say no to college.....have a kid at 18 and you will be working for the man the rest of your life for a few dollars an hour......and the social safety net will never provide what you whant it to cause the hard working people that pay taxes into this safety net can bearly provide what they need!!!

so to solve the problem educate yourself and plan on working your ass off tell your so tired you cant take it anynore and get up and do it all over again the next day!

NICE, Filled up my truck $92.00 5 days ago and did again today $87.00. Drove by Riverwood Apt on my way home from "WORK" and their's a BBQ grill set up in the parking lot and at least 8-9 guys partying and have a great time... Im sure on my/our TAX DOLLARS......WHAT A LIFE!

GO GET A JOB

One way to make these apartments safer would be to put decorative fencing around it and have electronic gates that the residents could insert an access card to get in. There is a big problem with non residents coming in to sell drugs, loiter, and cause other problems.

darlene - your close - how about put up electric fencing and put guard towers at the 4 corners. No one in or out!!!!!! crime would go down for sure. babies daddy is going to jail anyway........take this path and you can keep babies daddy, babies momma and baby together.....its the humane thing to do!

You made no sense?!?!?!

Just Asking wrote:

darlene - your close - how about put up electric fencing and put guard towers at the 4 corners. No one in or out!!!!!! crime would go down for sure. babies daddy is going to jail anyway........take this path and you can keep babies daddy, babies momma and baby together.....its the humane thing to do!

I think it unfair to classify everyone in Riverwood as a criminal. There is a criminal element that lives there, but some are just trying to make a living like everyone else and work very hard. However, the ones that are into drugs, gangs, crime, etc. make it miserable for everyone elese. They do not need eletric fencing, just better security and management that cares for its property.

The real issue is that Colonial Beach is too small to support public housing. There is just not enough tax revenue coming in. Fredericksburg is in a much better position to support it. Plus, it's a lot closer to more jobs and education facilities for those who may not be able to afford to own a car.
So when the Federal Grant is up, I hope they do make it a public park! Yesterday someone posted something about tennis courts there. I think the the CB taxpayers should have some recreation!