Authorities in southeastern Virginia intensified a search Wednesday for a vehicle believed to be involved in a shooting on Interstate 64 that killed at least one person and sent motorists scrambling for cover during rush-hour traffic. Norfolk police said investigators were canvassing surveillance footage, toll cameras and witness accounts as they urged anyone with dash-cam or cellphone video to come forward.

The shooting occurred on a stretch of the highway that carries thousands of commuters daily, police said. Officers closed lanes and rerouted traffic as emergency medical teams treated victims on the shoulder and transported people to area trauma centers. “This was a chaotic scene; we are working to identify the vehicle and the people responsible,” a police spokesperson said. No arrests had been announced as of Wednesday evening.

The incident revived deep concerns about gun violence on public roadways and the downstream effects on community health. Public health experts describe shootings like the I-64 incident as more than isolated criminal events: they are predictable harms that exact physical injury, long-term psychological trauma and strain on emergency medical systems. “Every shooting reverberates through families, workplaces and hospitals,” said a regional violence-prevention specialist. “We need coordinated prevention — from safer road design to investment in community-based interventions — not only rapid criminal investigations.”

Commuters who were stuck in the traffic jam described lingering fear and frustration. One motorist, who asked not to be named, said drivers pulled over and tried to shield passengers as gunfire erupted. Local employers and transit advocates warned that recurring incidents on major corridors could have broader economic consequences, including lost wages, decreased productivity and reduced access to health care for those reliant on reliable transportation.

The search for the vehicle — described by authorities as a key piece of evidence — also points to equity concerns. Highways like I-64 run adjacent to neighborhoods that have historically received lower public investment; residents in those areas already report higher exposure to violence and less access to trauma-informed health services. Community leaders urged that responses be twofold: vigorous law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice and expanded public health resources to support survivors and reduce future violence.

Emergency departments and trauma centers, which are often the first medical responders to such events, face recurrent burdens when shootings surge. Hospital administrators emphasized the need for sustained funding for mental-health counselors and community outreach to treat the psychosocial aftermath that follows physical injuries. “When a community experiences violence, the medical bill is both immediate and ongoing,” a hospital official said.

As investigators work to identify the vehicle and those involved, public officials and advocates called for a sober reckoning with the conditions that let such an event occur on a busy interstate. For many residents, the I-64 shooting was a stark reminder that violence is a public-health emergency as much as a criminal matter — one that will require policy changes, community investment and sustained attention to equity to prevent future tragedies.