Councilmember calls on mayor to declare a State of Emergency over homicides in D.C.

Ward 8 DC Councilmember Trayon White

Councilmember calls on mayor to declare a State of Emergency over homicides in D.C.

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WASHINGTON D.C. – Following the in-custody death of George Floyd in May of 2020, chaos and violence raged across the country. Many political leaders slashed police budgets, causing manpower shortage and the elimination of essential units. 

Additionally, police officers had restrictions placed on when and how they can handle criminals. All of this coupled together has given criminals the upper hand, and a feeling of being above the law, and at this moment, they are winning. 

Almost every major city across the country is suffering a huge impact due to the rise in violent crimes, including homicides and murders. 

Washington D.C. is being hit particularly hard by homicides, and now at least one political leader is speaking out and demanding the Mayor address the issue. 

Ward 8 DC Councilmember Trayon White is calling on Mayor Muriel Bowser to declare a State of Emergency over the number of homicides taking place in the city.

His ward has suffered more than most in the new year, including two 15-year-old boys killed, two college students killed, and yet another homicide on Thursday, January 28th, when a 26-year-old Virginia man was killed, ABC7 reported.

One of the victims, 22-year-old Edward Wade was one of the widely known people killed in the violence raging in the streets of the nations Capitol. Wade was a college student at Virginia Union University, who was visiting home. 

According to reports, on Monday January 25th at 9 a.m. Wade walked into a convenience store on Good Hope Road, as his mother waited for him in the car.

White said:

“And the next time she saw her son, he was coming out of the store in a body bag. A college student!” 

Wade was killed at 9 a.m. while making a quick stop at a convenience store, proving that these violent crimes are not isolated to late night back ally crimes. 

DC Activist Ron Moten knew Wade since he was a high school student at Anacostia High School.

Moten said:

“We’re in a bad place in DC where you can do everything right and still be killed in the streets,” 

Wade was among the students Moten brought with him to appear on News Channel 8 to discuss Civil Rights. He also got to meet Martin Luther King III, ABC7 reported.

The victim of the most recent homicide was 26- year-old Aaron Bourne of Woodbridge, Virginia. Bourne was killed in the hallway of an apartment building on Morris Road, SE on Thursday, January 28th, according to reports.  

A woman who lives in that building told ABC7 News it was not the first shooting there. She went on to say that residents live in fear.

The woman stated that she also knew the other victim, Edward Wade. She said that Wade was a close friend of her brother, 28-year-old Yisa Bey Jeffcoat, who was murdered in October of 2020. She and Wade took a photograph in their memorial t-shirts at her brother’s funeral.

Councilmember White complains the city has yet even to schedule a meeting on deadly violence.

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One-year-old boy shot and killed sitting inside a vehicle in Washington D.C. in a ‘targeted killing’

December 3, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A one-year-old boy was shot and killed while sitting in a car in Southeast D.C. around 10 p.m. Wednesday. The Metropolitan Police Department reported that the shooting took place near 57th Street.

The child was inside a vehicle that was moving in the direction of the 5700 block of Southern Avenue. D.C. police believe multiple shots were fired from another car. The child has been identified as Carmelo Duncan.

A dark-gray Mazda SUV with dark tints was seen heading in the direction of Southern Avenue when the shooting occurred. The vehicle was moving at a high speed.

The victim was in a car with an adult male and another child when multiple gunshots struck the car. Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham told reporters late Wednesday that it was “probably the most tragic news to announce this evening.”

The child was immediately transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police have confirmed that the other passengers were not harmed.

This is the fourth child to be shot in this neighborhood within three days. D.C. police have stated that one child was shot Monday and two children were shot on Tuesday. The reason for this latest shooting remains unknown. D.C. police are continuing to investigate the crime.  

Chief Newsham, during a press conference, stated that this shooting “was not random.”

The search continues for those who fired the shots. The public is being urged to come forward with any information.

Chief Newsham said, “The car was struck multiple times. (There are) as many as ten or maybe more.”

D.C. Mayor Bowser issued a statement saying:

“There are no words for the sense of loss that our city will feel when they hear of this heartbreaking tragedy. We cannot tolerate senseless gun violence, and we must continue to come together to have the tough conversation about what we must do to eradicate it.

“Anyone with information about this heinous crime should reach out to MPD by calling 202-727-9099 or texting 50411. Our thoughts and prayers are with the angel we lost, his loved ones, and those who know the agony of this terrible loss.”

D.C. police are investigating if more than one weapon was used in the shooting.

A statement from D.C. Police said:

“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 responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.

“In partnership with MPD, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division has offered an additional $25,000 and the FBI Washington Field Office has offered an additional $10,000 bringing the total reward amount to $60,000 for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspects in this case.

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 sending a text message to 50411.

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