SE DC community calls for help with rising violence and fewer police officers

There is a memorial at the corner of 16^th Street and Good Hope Road in Southeast D.C. for a young father.  There’s another one around the corner for a young man. And across the street, yet another on a fence.

But none of these memorials is for any of the victims of the most recent shooting. Seven people were shot in the area Saturday night in the latest mass shooting. Three of them died.

A News4 I-Team analysis of crime trends in the police districts east of the river show 201 more incidents of gun crime here this summer than last. That’s an 80% increase.

“Don’t nobody want gunshots in their community,” said Terry, who said he’s lived there more than 40 years.

He’s not sure what the answer is or what will stop the violence right away.

But Ward 8 Council member Trayon White said he has an idea.

“We’re looking for sworn, armed National Guard members,” he said.

It’s an imperfect solution. The National Guard has no arrest powers nor ability to investigate on its own, and who would pay for it remains uncertain, too. White said he’s had or will have discussions with the mayor’s office, D.C.’s interim police chief and the guard about his idea. The federal government would have to approve any deployment of the D.C. National Guard. White said it’s been used here in the past and it would put more boots on the ground.

“One of the biggest things that they can provide is presence,” he said. “The issue right now in our community is that you hear over and over again we don’t have enough officers.”

“The District regularly requests the support of the D.C. National Guard where our needs are within their mission,” D.C. Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah said. “We will continue to make these requests as appropriate while also being mindful of the staffing constraints of the DCNG. Our focus, and where we will continue to request Council support, is on attracting and retaining more officers at the Metropolitan Police Department and ensuring they have the resources and policy environment to do their jobs, have a strong presence in our neighborhoods, and make arrests and close cases.”

“I don’t want the National Guard out here,” said Mark Garrett, an artist who runs a gallery and kids program across the street from Saturday’s shooting scene.

He does think more police could help.

“There perhaps needs to be a few more beat walkers,” said Garrett.

The I-Team looked at D.C. police staffing reports and found police districts east of the river have 65 fewer officers this July than last. And as crime continued to climb into early August, they lost even more.

That’s frustrating for Terry.

“It’s not fair to the taxpayers, it’s not fair to the everyday citizens that just want to walk around and be a part of anything. But we’re the last of the last,” he said.

The I-Team repeatedly asked D.C. police for an explanation of the strategy of having fewer officers east of the river as crime rises. So far, that hasn’t come.

As of now, police said there have been no arrests or suspects in the shooting Saturday night on Good Hope Road.

Reported by Ted Oberg, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Jeff Piper.