Courtesy of Borderstan:
Two individuals were shot in the back of the apartment building located at 1433 T St. NW yesterday afternoon. One individual drove himself to the hospital and is alive, although his condition wasn't reported. The second individual was taken from the scene by ambulance and has died.
No suspects or motives have yet been given regarding the shooting because the MPD are still interviewing witnesses to the shooting. It is not known whether either of the victims lived in or near the vicinity of the apartment building.
This shooting is particularly disturbing largely due to the fact that it occurred in the middle of a weekend afternoon in an area one block south of a street with large numbers of pedestrians. Although we can only speculate as to the motive of the shootings (Drug transaction gone awry? A beef? A parking space?) it's further evidence that violent crime is indeed on the rise along the northern section of the 14th Street corridor headed towards U St. From the period of July 30 - September 29, violent crime is up 33% in that area versus 2006, and up 15% since 2007. A majority of the increase is attributable to muggings and assaults committed with firearms.
This all leads to a point we've made many times before: strolling around the Logan/U St. area, it's easy to become complacent with your surroundings. Luxury condos, cafes and boutique shops have a way of doing that to you. Yet while violent crime may not be as pervasive in Logan as it is in other parts of the city, it is by no means an unusual occurrence. So stay aware, be vigilant about contacting the police when you witness suspicious behavior, and communicate with one another. Also, pay attention to the platforms of local elected officials with regards to issues like the prevention of gang-related violence, after-school youth programs, parenting programs, housing assistance and other programs aimed at improving the lives of the less well-off in this city. Increased vigilance and police presence are short-term aids in the response to violent crime (which unfortunately will never be completely eradicated), but taking aim at poverty and its inextricable link to crime will help address this problem in the long term.
Monday, September 29, 2008
One Dead, One Wounded in Shooting Near 14th & T
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14 comments:
As I mentioned earlier on DCist, the apartment building on the other side of the alley (1439 T Street NW, "The Tuxedo") appears to be a significant drug market. There are tons of sketchy and assorted people going into that building and leaving 5-10 minutes later (including people parking nearby, sitting in there car, and then very briefly visiting the building). Based on that, and the other pedestrian traffic I see on this block, I would not be surprised if it was drug related.
Nor would I, loganmo. Logan/U St. is interestin insomuch that you can pinpoint a handful of "hotspots" where a majority of crime (at least of the violent variety) takes place. The south side of the 1400 block of R St. would be another one.
Yea 1400 block of T street is interesting. The north side of the block has a moderate amount of rif-raffy apartment buildings...the south side is all quiet townhomes..it's not nearly as bad as 1400 block of R, though.
Any idea if "The Lounge of Three" is still in the works for 1013 U Street?
Sorry- I meant to put this in another (more related) thread!
14th and W is much like 14th and R. Also, it appears that 1430 is breading pitbulls.
any update or more info on the shooting? I was in my backyard 1300 block of t when I heard the shots and subsequent sirens. didn't go out to explore.
An update on the shooting from the ANC 2F meeting crime report discussion: an officer reported that two individuals shot at each other. One was killed at the scene, and the other man, wounded, drove himself to Howard where he was being held while under treatment. Neither of the two men involved in the shooting in a resident of that area. In my entirely unofficial opinion, this shooting could have been related to a drug transaction and/or some sort of ongoing beef. Though a scary and sad event, I don't think it's indicative of an elevated risk of future neighborhood shootings.
I live on the 1400 block of W Street and I, too, have noticed an increase in crime. We had a stabbing on our block a few weeks ago. In addition, we heard gunshots regularly this summer. Let me know what actions I can take (or incite others) to take to protect.
There are quite a few things that you can do. I would recommend first getting to know the police in your area so that you can take your concerns directly to them:
Keep in touch with Borderstan (http://borderstan.com) to see when there are community meetings.
You are in PSA 305. There is a Yahoo listserv for your neighborhood. Sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PublicSafety305/.
Representative police officers from PSA 305 hold monthly community meetings. Check the dc.gov website under the MPD pages to find the dates and times for your area. As well, look into when your Advisory Neighborhood Commission meets; there are often crime reports given at these meetings, and MPD officers are available for your questions and comments.
Call in suspicious and illegal activity to 911, even if it appears minor. For example, it's not too uncommon to see folks loitering drinking in public spaces or getting high. Though alcohol and weed are certainly not the largest of criminal evils, public consumption generally indicates that other not-so-great things are going on.
Keep up with what's going on in the City Council meetings and committees. Recently, the Mayor's crime bill came up for public comment. When such proposed legislation comes up, be sure to submit written testimony to the relevant committee chair or sign up to testify in person.
Make your neighborhood less inviting to criminals: Be sure to leave nothing, absolutely nothing in sight in your car. Even power cords for electronic devices can lead to a broken window. Be sure to pass this advice along to your guests as well. Secure your home as well so that it is less inviting to robberies. This time of year, you might want to be careful about boxes that you dispose of in the alley. Crates for high-end electronics, etc. indicate that there may be something worth stealing from your home. Keep abreast of muggings so that you can avoid times and places where people are being victimized.
One of the biggest problems with DC law enforcement is the prosecution of criminals, particularly juveniles. Pay attention to arrest information given at community meetings, so that you can know who the problem individuals in your neighborhood are. The DC Office of the Attorney General oversees prosecutions of juveniles and adult misdemeanor offenses. Give acting AG Peter Nickles a piece of your mind when your area is repeatedly harmed by a repeat offender. Nickles is upset that he's being lobbied lately by DC residents, but and his staff need to know the consequences of his decisions.
Lastly, you can get involved with programs that address social issues that may contribute to crime. There are so many opportunities to volunteer or give money to job training programs, homeless shelters, youth mentoring organizations, etc.
So I recently checked out a place at "The Tuxedo". It was a larger than average efficiency for 700 dollars, which I thought was an awesome deal considering the location. The building itself looked sketchy only in that it was not well maintained (walls and floors were not recently cleaned, but no trash or anything like that). After reading this post I don't think I will be submitting an application to the apartment. I'm willing to put up with an old building so long as it's safe, but this doesn't appear to be the case with the Tux. Can anyone out there confirm this for me so I won't feel bad about passing on this deal?
Anon, I can't speak for the Tuxedo building itself, but I hope that our post didn't turn you away from the neighborhood. By and large, Logan/U Street is very safe. Shootings such as the one mentioned in this post are quite rare. Yes, DC is a big and yes big cities will have crime. But I feel as safe walking through the streets of Logan as I do walking through Dupont or Georgetown.
Thanks for the response. It doesn't dissuade me at all. I love the neighborhood but my guess is that you get what you pay for. Still, 700 for my own place with no roommates and a block away from the black cat is quite tempting. Its still available even two weeks after it was first advertised, so maybe that says something. You'd think it would have been taken by now at that price.
I LIVED ON 14TH AND WST ALL MY LIFE. NOW I'M 27 AND SINCE MOVED, THERE WAS NOT ALOT OF VIOLENCE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. MOST OF IT IS COMING FROM NEW PEOPLE WHOM HAS MADE WST THEIR NEW HOME. ALL YOU ON HERE WHO HAS NOT BEEN APART OF 14TH WST MORE THEN 11 YEARS NEED TO BE QUITE. THE ONLY ONES WHO SEEM TO BE COMPLAINING ARE THE NEW RESIDENTS WHO JUST MOVED ACROSSED THE STREET FROM THE CAPITAL MANER APARTMENTS. WHO ARE YOU TO TRY TO COME AND TAKE THIS BLOCK FROM THESE PEOPLE WHO HAS BEEN HERE LONGER THAN YOU. SHAME ON YOU
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