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Brutally Violent Night – Multiple Shootings, Stabbing, Including a Homicide at 7th and Quincy St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

A reader writes in and sends the above photo:

“Just before 10 Wednesday night… At one point at least 6 cars cop cars and one officer on bike patrol were outside CVS at GA & NH. Had at least one guy in cuffs. Officers also digging through trash cans. Cops stuck around for about an hour. Any idea what was up? Also hearing about a shooting along 700 blk of Quincy around the same time.”

From MPD:

“Units received a call for a shooting in the 700 blk of Quincy St. NW around 10pm. An unconscious adult male was located suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The male is deceased. Homicide Branch is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-888-919-CRIM(E).”

From @dcfireems:

Around 10:19pm: “shooting – 900 blk Wahler Pl SE”, “EMS evaluating 2 patients”

Around 11:20pm: “Stabbing – 18th st & Benning Rd NE”, “1 priority w/ traumatic injury”

Around 11:45pm: “shooting – 700 blk Yuma St SE”, “1 PDOA, 1 other an adult male traumatic inj, priority 1 being transported”

From @dcalerts:

Around 9:17pm: “Police Alert-SHOOTING Shooting @ 2117 hours, 1200 Brentwood Rd NE LOF 2 B/M’s armed with handguns no clothing.”

Props to the Cops Vol. 3 – Burglar Arrested in Bloomingdale

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user yostinator

From MPD:

On Monday,, April 4, a little after 3 pm, 5D officers were dispatched to a burglar alarm in the 1900 block of 2nd ST., NW. As officers went to the rear, a man riding a bike and carrying a book bag fled from the rear of the house. Officers caught him hiding behind an air conditioner in a back yard in the 1900 block of 1st St., NW. The bike had been stolen from the home where the alarm had sounded, and items in the book bag (and the book bag itself) had been taken from the house on 2nd St. Entry had been made by smashing or kicking in a glass window in a basement level room.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the quick response and great work of our officers in catching a burglar in the Bloomingdale community. The man is 17 years old, and comes from the area near Minnesota Avenue and St St., SE.

I would also like to take the opportunity to remind residents that if they see or hear anyone or anything unusual in your neighborhood, particularly in the rear of houses and in alleys, that they should call 911 immediately so that we can come and check this out.

This is also a good coda to our discussion on security options since the alarm seemed to work well in this case.


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Dear PoP – Disturbing News: Latin american brothels

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user [email protected]

“Dear PoP,

I wanted to write to you to alert the readers of a very disturbing trend of human sex trafficking from Latin America to brothels here in the U.S.  This is nothing new, but MSNBC did a whole news series on this issue recently, and it is particularly relevant for residents of Columbia Heights as I witnessed some brothel advertising going on this past weekend in our hood.  I was walking up the east side of 14th street on Sunday afternoon, and was a few steps behind a Hispanic man.  Between Newton and Meridian I saw a man who looked a little shady (nothing in particular, sometimes people just look shady) up ahead of me.  He was about 40, had dark skin (not sure if he was African American or Hispanic), and he had a stack of business cards in his hands. He made a concerted effort to get the attention of the Hispanic man in front of me and gave him one of the business cards, but he ignored me (I’m a girl). I  saw that the business card had a pair of wings on it.

Anyway, the situation sounds innocuous but something just didn’t seem right about this guy handing out the cards.  Lo and behold, this morning I was reading the news on MSN.com and saw a story called “Enslaved in America” talking about the trafficking of young girls and women from Mexico to the U.S. to be sex slaves in illegal brothels. They are essentially slaves, beaten if they try to escape, not allowed contact with anyone but their handlers, forced to have sex with up to 50 men a day…it is so sad and sickening.  The story talks about how these brothels operate and why they are so hard to detect. One of the ways they stay in business without getting caught is to advertise solely to Hispanic men, via word of mouth and fake business cards. The article states that business cards have certain codes, one example being a PAIR OF WINGS to indicate they will deliver a prostitute to the customer.

I know this is happening in CH because there was a house on my block that was operating as an illegal brothel but was finally shut down a few years ago due to persistence of neighborhood residents gathering photographic evidence and basically badgering the police enough until they cleared it out.

Anyway I URGE everyone to please be on the lookout for signs that this is happening. If you notice a house on your block that has a lot of male foot traffic at odd hours, shady activity, or people handing out business cards only to Hispanic men, please report this to the police. If there are any male Hispanic readers that are targeted by “advertisers” PLEASE tell the cops. This abuse of women is so terrible we all have to be on the lookout.

Link to “Breaking the Code” tips on how to spot brothel advertising http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42252571/ns/us_news-enslaved_in_america/

Link to the full “Enslaved in America” story http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42253545/ns/us_news-enslaved_in_america/“

Dear PoP – Capital One Customers Should Check Their Accounts

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user elliotmitchell

“Dear PoP,

This morning at 6:38am, someone managed to pull $500 out of my Capital One checking account at an ATM. This happened despite me being sound asleep with the card in my wallet. The Branch Manager at 650 F St. said I was the 4th customer this morning with a fraud issue (which makes me think there’s been a recent increase in this type of situation) The thing is, I likely wouldn’t have noticed this for a few days if I hadn’t stopped to get cash this morning. Two separate ATMs said I had already hit my daily limit on cash withdrawals, which led to me calling the bank etc.

I hope this doesn’t happen to anyone else, but folks should check their bank accounts just in case.”

Sweet Ride

By Prince Of Petworth

I don’t know if these photos can properly do justice to how awesome this car looks. Anyone know what year? It’s from near H St, NE.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Advice on How to Behave During an Armed Robbery/Mugging

By Prince Of Petworth


Assistant Chief, Patrol Services Bureau, Dianne Groomes

Yesterday we had a lengthy discussion about an armed mugging in Columbia Heights. At that time some people were pontificating about how one ought to behave when facing an armed mugger. Should you fight? Should you run? Should you comply? Should you do something else?

DC is a city filled with very smart residents and many of us consider ourselves experts in a variety of subject matter. As a result we often have really interesting discussions on a wide range of topics. I love the seriousness in which we debate all sorts of subjects – even where to find the best nachos.

However, when it comes to providing advice on how to react to a mugger with a gun in your face – well that’s where I get a bit uncomfortable with self proclaimed experts (myself included) giving advice. Now it is true that there are many in law enforcement circles who read this blog – however we can not tell who the bonafide law enforcement officers are based on a username alone. Actions taken during an armed robbery/mugging may have life or death results. So I started to get a bit uncomfortable with some advice being given. At that point I decided to ask the advice of MPD Assistant Chief, Patrol Services Bureau, Dianne Groomes who has been with MPD for over 20 years.

I asked her a very simple question – how would she advise we behave during an incident like the armed mugging we discussed yesterday? Chief Groomes responded via email:

The best advice is to follow the commands of the robber … we have seen too many times where the victim may refuse or try to fight back but they end up getting pistolwhipped or shot …. I do suggest that one who is approached and asked for phone or wallet – throw it away from your body so you have a chance to be removed from the armed suspects… I would walk away from area away from them as they pick up property.

We are having major robberies where they just jump you or surround you and do the pat down – do not fight back and the best thing is to get the best description so we can end up making an arrest if we stop someone – we find that a vast majority of our victims cannot identify even if we stop individuals that either match the lookout or seen fleeing…. but I do understand it is traumatizing when gun put into your face – the victims always remember the gun…

Preventative measures are what are being listed on our listservs and what others state, be aware of your surroundings, try not to walk in the alleys, if intoxicated take a cab or metro instead of walking around (we have alot of robberies on sidestreets by the clubzones), give up your property, or if you have wallet don’t keep your major credit cards etc in it (or all stuff in wallet) put in different areas – or if you are just walking dog etc don’t carry such… electronics such as cellphones, ipods are items that are being targeted…

This is the advice that I will follow.

Ed. Note: I have many friends and acquaintances who live in Columbia Heights and other neighborhoods where crimes are regularly reported here. Not one of them has been a victim of a violent crime nor mugged at gunpoint (knock wood). Street crime is certainly a real threat but it should be kept in perspective. Definitely be smart and follow the advice of Chief Groomes. But please keep in mind, while street smarts are important, there is no need to constantly be in fear every time you leave the house either. Sometimes the MPD alerts and posts here make it seem like there is nothing but violence and crime in some neighborhoods. Fortunately that is far from the reality of everyday life. It is possible for us to discuss disturbing incidents and hopefully become more aware of our surroundings and at the same time continue to enjoy the beautiful life.

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