"Four or five gunshots heard at 14th and Harvard. Cops all over -- avoid the area."

by Prince Of Petworth June 20, 2016 at 9:44 pm 30 Comments

cops

A reader reports:

“Four or five gunshots heard at 14th and Harvard. Cops all over — avoid the area.

Very close to last week’s two shootings in one day on the 2900 block of 14th street.”

map
via google maps

Harvard St.

Legit right outside of my house. My roommate was watching TV and heard them, so we ran to the window. This shit needs to stop. I’ve always defended Columbia Heights as being relatively safe if you’re smart, but this is hitting too close to home.
- Andrew
  
  Why did you run towards the window? This puts you in more danger.
  - Harvard St.
    
    I worded that wrong – he came and got me in my room, then we went towards the window once the shooting had stopped. He saw a car speed away and police chasing on foot with guns drawn. He probably shouldn’t have ran towards the window, but it was probably just his gut reaction after hearing the noises.
- Girard st
  
  +1 I’ve lived at 13th and Girard for 6 years and never remember this many shootings. It needs to stop. The summer is only beginning.
  - Harvard St.
    
    Summer has only officially just started, and it seems like we’re on course for a worse period of time than last year. I’m not looking forward to the coming months.
    - Bullwinkle
      
      move out
      - ANON
        
        When I was in Israel a year ago I visited an area near the gaza strip where the residents were subject to pretty regular rocket fire across the border. One of my fellow travelers asked them why they didn’t move. Their answer “Because this is my home.”
- JohnH
  
  It’s nothing new other than the frequency is higher lately. The problem is the heavy police reaction usually is too late and then disappears. Remember last summer on the 7th when the police set up a damn tent? You don’t need a tent, you need to have a presence in trouble areas. Sitting stationary in a tent for a couple weeks then leaving isn’t doing much.
Carlospr

Wife and I were walking the dog at Girard and 13th st at that time… We heard more than 4 gunshots. More like 7-8.
We were talking about how nice was outside tonight for a walk and then this happens. Scary to know it we were just 2 blocks away. Every summer its the same thing!!
Alex

Was biking home to Girard at this time. Saw police cars coming in. Asked some guys standing on the porch if the shots were fired and .. yep. Too close to home. Wanna see my taxpayer’s dollars hard at work!
shawsomesauce

WTF is going on up there? This feels like more than just the garden variety DC summer violence.
- JohnH
  
  Starts with D ends with RUGS.
anon

Too easy to get guns (all of which were legally manufactured and entered the marketplace legally) and the legislators in the states surrounding DC (where the guns come from) simply are not interested in addressing or curbing gun violence and the gun are being used by individuals that are so insufferably dumb that they are not aware or capable of considering consequences.
fritz

same shit different day
- anon
  
  Same shit, same day, same street:
  
  https://www.popville.com/2016/06/shooting-in-columbia-heights-just-before-430pm/
Concerned

Please let the community leaders know your thoughts! Let them know, they need to stop the open air drug markets and have officers on this dangerous stretch of streets!

“Upcoming Meetings

The Third Police District’s PSA 304 and 302, where the recent Columbia Heights incidents took place, will be holding a community meeting on Tues., June 21, at 7pm, at the Third District Station, 1620 V St. They will be discussing some of their strategies to address the recent spike in crime in the area of 14th Street, and the adjoining PSAs. If you’re unable to make the meeting you can reach out to PSA 304 Lieutenant John Hedgecock at [email protected] or (202) 277-3109 or PSA 302 Lieutenant Mark Hodge at [email protected] or (202) 489-8338.

I have two upcoming Brianne on Your Block community office hours where you can drop by and talk with me about whatever issues are on your mind:

Monday, June 20 from 6-8 p.m. at Calabash Tea and Tonic (1847 7th Street NW)
Friday, July 22 from 8-10 a.m. at Tynan Coffee (1400 Irving St NW)”
- shawsomesauce
  
  +1
Anonymous

Does anyone know why DC’s anti-loitering laws fell through? Not that this would be a panacea to the recent spate of gun violence, but enough readers have commented about the open-air drug dealing that it seems like it could be worth bringing up again to our city leaders.

It would also be interesting to see a study on the rates of violence in areas with small alleys, side streets, or parking lots obscured from the road. Closing the small lots behind the Latin American Youth Center and the lot at Harvard leaves criminals with fewer places to conduct their business.
- msus
  
  Why? I recommend reading “Dream City”. While it focuses on Marion Barry, it is also a pretty good history of DC from the 60s to the mid-90s. You’ll also get a better understanding of local politics (although gentrification and demographic changes the past 15-20 years have altered things somewhat).
Pissed off Washingtonian

As a resident of the U Street area, I would frequently stroll up 14th Street into Columbia Heights. Whether to stop by Target for home goods, Cava for a quick bite, or local establishments like Thip Khao, etc. However, I can 100% assure you those trips are over. It’s far too risky to go up there. So, to answer your question…the avoidance of Columbia Heights has already begun.
- FridayGirl
  
  I mentioned this in the 4:30 shooting post yesterday, as well. I will still go to Target, but I take the bus up from U St. and will certainly avoid just wandering around up there. I’m amazed businesses aren’t already speaking out about this.
ASLL

This is my block. At this point, I’d definitely support Batman taking matters into his own hands.
- shadesofpale
  
  my block too, I’d welcome batman
eva

I definitely avoid driving through or to Columbia Heights because it’s a traffic nightmare. But I will never give up my Thip Khao, it would have to get a lot worse (by a lot worse, for me, I mean worse than when I lived in the neighborhood in the early 2000s and I legitimately worried about getting mugged in the two blocks between my house and the metro during daylight hours).

To be honest safety doesn’t even cross my mind when I’m walking or biking in CH these days, though I also have lived here long enough to just naturally avoid certain blocks altogether without thinking about it.
14th and Harvard Resident

Please email our councilwoman Brianne Nadeau. She has been very responsive to me in the past. We need to reach out to her and demand action! [email protected]
- [rrrrr]
  
  I’m planning to reach out, but hoping to have a specific set of asks. Any chance you’d share what you’re communicating about?
  .
  For my part I’m thinking drug activity, McDuffie’s crime bill, and outreach to local business — see what she is doing or will do on each of those.
  - stacksp
    
    I dont get the hoopla surrounding the “crime bill”. Not a single penny has been paid out and with the rate of things nothing will be paid out. You have to essentially be released from jail and participate in a program that requires you to be an angel upon release for a substantial amount of time with qualifiers along the way. I just dont see a bunch of stipends being handed out as a result.
14th and Girard res

I’m pretty sure I heard this too, in the alley between Girard and Harvard, but me and my neighbors all thought it was firecrackers. Does anyone have a definitive answer?
- Prince Of Petworth
  
  It was gunshots. They don’t stretch police tape for fireworks.
  - 14th and Girard res
    
    Missed the tape (cause I was inside). Thanks!

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