Dear PoPville,
I’m a resident of the Fort Totten/North Michigan Park neighborhood and hope you can post something about yesterday’s mugging in Fort Totten. I can’t get the original alert to come up, but it happened at 6th Pl NE and Gallatin St NE at 2:54pm on Monday at gun point. You can read the discussion about it here (and try to get back to the original alert here.)
I just went to look up the alerts again and saw this – only about 2-3 blocks away on South Dakota Ave NE:
Robbery (Gun) of Establishment 2221 hrs 4900 blk So.Dakota Ave NE LOF: 3 young B/M in blk ski mask & guns S1-18-20 yoa,5’6-5’7″, dk complx, gray long slv sht, dk pnts, blk ski
Robbery (Gun) of Establishment 2221 hrs 4900 blk So.Dakota Ave NE LOF: (3) young b/m’s armed w/guns in blk ski mask
As you’ll see on the facebook page, there was a neighborhood meeting that was largely unproductive less than a week ago. The solution from MPDC and the Park Police is to stay out of the woods, go around, and not go in after dark. After dark, fair. During the day is tough – there is a path which everyone has been using for years and NPS refuses to clean up, light, etc. Plus, daylight is no longer a deterrent.
The last two muggings were at 8:30A in the morning (when a lot of people use that path to go to the metro for work) and 2:54 pm, off the path and in the neighborhood more. If they are mugging at gun point in broad daylight, what’s next? And what will it take to get MPD and the NPS/Park Police to do more – a gun shot, a sexual assault, or worse? And, you’re telling me you are okay with criminals that mug and attack people with guns on your National Park Land that is so precious, you won’t clean it up or put lights up so law abiding citizens can use the space?
I just can’t be okay with this. The alerts above scare me even more. Things are escalating, fast – not getting better. I get that MPD can’t be there constantly but this is getting out of control – even patrols would help.
Fort Totten
From @IAFF36 around 8:30pm Wed. evening:
“Units on the scene 110 Gallatin Street Nw with a quadruple shooting, 1 Pt. tx to hospital 4 with life threatening 1 grazed in the head”
Update from MPD:
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating the fatal shooting which occurred in the 5000 block of First Street, NW.
On Wednesday, July 4, 2012, at approximately 8:03 pm, members of the Fourth District responded to the 5000 block of First Street, NW for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located one adult male and two juveniles suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Personnel from the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported all three victims to an area hospital where two of the victims were admitted in serious condition and the third victim later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. A fourth victim was transported by a family member to an area hospital, where he was treated and released.
The decedent has been identified as 19-year-old Crevontai Key of NE, Washington, DC.
The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.
UPDATE from MPD:
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced an arrest has been made in the fatal shooting of Crevontai Key which occurred in the 5000 block of First Street, NW.
On Wednesday, July 4, 2012, at approximately 8:03 pm, members of the Fourth District responded to the 5000 block of First Street, NW for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located one adult male and two juveniles suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Personnel from the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported all three victims to an area hospital where two of the victims were admitted in serious condition and the third victim later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. A fourth victim was transported by a family member to an area hospital, where he was treated and released.
The decedent has been identified as 19-year-old Crevontai Key of NE, Washington, DC
On Sunday, July 8, 2012, 22-year-old Calvin Shaw of Laurel, MD, was arrested by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force pursuant to an arrest warrant charging him with First Degree Murder While Armed in connection with the shooting death of Crevontai Key.
Dear PoPville,
Yesterday around 10 am on the 5100 block of N Capitol St, NW my wife was giving our 8 month old a bath when someone rang the door bell 3 times, she disregarded it thinking it was a voter visit or Jehova’s witnesses. While she was upstairs someone opened our screen door in the front of the house and jumped through the window, grabbed the keys off of the kitchen counter and attempted to steal the car parked out back. Luckily the person wasn’t successful because it didn’t seem like they knew how to drive a stick. They backed the car out in the alley, could get it going and fled.
My wife didn’t realize what happened until she came downstairs and saw the back door open and the car out of its spot and in the alley. The police came and fingerprints were taken.
Terrifying.

Photo of Red Line Metro Collision June 22, 2009 by @technosailor
From the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities:
The purpose of this RFP is to commission an artist, landscape architect, or design team to develop an artistic concept for a memorial park and to fabricate the artistic elements to be included in a permanent memorial. The memorial is intended to honor the remembrance of the nine victims, first respondents and others whose lives were altered by the 2009 D.C. Metrorail Red Line train collision. The selected artist, landscape architect, or design team will work in collaboration with the District Department of General Services (DGS) to install all artistic elements of the permanent memorial park.
The memorial park should allow for meditation, remembrance, reflection, hope and renewal. Accommodations are inclusive of an entrance marker, public artwork, seating, play area, pedestrian walk way, landscaping and solar lighting etc. along with other environmentally sustainable features.
The memorial will be located within the existing park land area, just beyond the corner of South Dakota and New Hampshire Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20011
ELIGIBILITY
This commission is open to Artists, Architects/Landscape Architects, and Design Professional teams. All members of the team must be practicing, professionals residing in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.BUDGET
The design and artwork fabrication budget is $200,000, which must include the site specific design honorarium (awarded to three semi-finalists), artists’ fees, and costs associated with the design, fabrication, transportation, insurance and documentation of the artwork.

Ft. Totten
Dear PoPville,
Have you seen the renderings for the proposed Walmart locations on Georgia Ave. and Fort Totten? Check it out. Not too bad, assuming they really end up that way.
Speaking about the buildings not the business – thumbs up or down on the design?

Georgia and Missouri Ave, NW

Thanks to a reader for sending. Anyone hear anything about a “future home of a Children’s museum” at Art Place at Fort Totten (400 Galloway Street, NE)?

This rental is located at 90 Webster St, NE:
The Craigslist ad says:
“Small, 1-bedroom apartment in NE DC (a 10-min walk to the Brookland/CUA or Fort Totten Metro stations [red line]). The apartment is sized 430-450 SF, and it has great amenities (stainless steel fridge/dishwasher/stove/microwave, hardwood floors, washer/dryer in unit, marble tile in bathroom, jacuzzi tub, ADT security system provided by the landlord, ample off street parking. Owner may also be able to offer some basement storage. The unit is located on the first floor. Asking $1150/mo. Security Deposit equal to 1 month’s rent. Tenant is responsible for electric and cable (apartment is cable-ready). Very convenient to Catholic, Trinity, and Howard U, as well as access to downtown DC.
*****Can be offered furnished or unfurnished.”
$1150 sound right for this 1 bedroom?

This rental is located at 4925 First St. NW:
The Craigslist ad says:
“This home is conveniently located close to shopping and within a 10 minute walk to the Fort Totten Metro. The home features:
– Brand New Appliances including a DISHWASHER
– Recently renovated Kitchen featuring a mosaic tile backsplash
– Gleaming “Hardwood” Floors
– Sunroom
– Close to Metro and major bus routes
– Across from well maintained single-family housing
– Deposit Required
– $30 Application Fee
Bedrooms: 1 Plus Sunroom
Bathrooms: 1 Full
Located on Floor #: 2nd
Floors in Bldg: 2
Square Footage: 700
Parking Spaces: On Street
Pets Allowed: Cats”
Does $855 sound reasonable for this 1br + Sunroom?
From MPD around 6:30pm Sat. evening:
“A short time ago there was a robbery at 5th Street and O Street, NW. A homeless victim was shot in the neck and received non-life threatening injuries. Officers deployed in the area made one arrest and recovered the handgun used in the offense.”
From MPD around 6:50pm Sat. evening:
“At about 6:50 pm, a radio run was dispatched to Fourth District units for “The sounds of gunshots” in the area behind the 5000 block of 1st St., NW. Officers Burggraf & Gelsomino were the first to arrive in the area, assisted by other Fourth District officers. They canvassed the cemetery that abuts the dispatched location on foot. They located a male adult subject walking in the cemetery which is closed after dark. The officers’ ensuing investigation led to the recovery of two hand guns. The subject admitted to firing off a round in the cemetery. He was placed under arrest & charged with Carrying a Pistol without a License. Great job by the officers in doing a very thorough investigation resulting in the removal of this dangerous felon from our neighborhood!”
And more good news regarding one of the attacks from the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Ave, SE. From MPD Sunday morning:
“This morning a juvenile suspect was arrested for the assault of a female last week that occurred in the 1300blk of PA Ave SE
The victim sustained a fractured jaw as a result of this apparent unprovoked attack.
First District Detectives worked this case tirelessly and received help from our community until we were able to identify the juvenile suspect. He was arrested this morning at his residence without incident.
As this is a juvenile no additional information can be released.”

This rental is located at 1st Place NE at Webster St NE:
The Craigslist ad says:
“Renting a 1 bedroom/1 bath apartment in the Brookland Neighborhood.
Apartment details (see below)
• Wonderful one-bedroom, one bath apartment in a garden condo community is available for rent as early as November 1.
• Located few blocks from Catholic University and H8 bus stop which takes you to Brookland-CUA Metro & Rhode Island Metro (RED LINE)
• Near the Brookland(RED LINE) and Fort Totten Metro( RED/GREEN LINE) Stations
• Completely renovated new appliances including: stainless steel refrigerator, central a/c, dish washer, microwave oven, secure keyless entry system
• Huge bedroom with lots of closet space and carpeted floors
* Spacious carpeted living area w/ an open floor plan
• Great access to natural light
* On site laundry facilities”
From the map this looks more like Ft. Totten than Brookland though Brookland isn’t too far away. Does $1100 sound reasonable for this 1 bedroom?