One person was taken to a hospital, while the other two were treated at the scene on 13th Street SE, D.C. Fire and EMS said.

Neighbors said the dogs have been a nuisance for months.

One victim of the attack said she was standing in an alley when a dog suddenly pounced. It bit her on the arm and seriously wounded her.

She jumped on top of a man’s car to try to escape, driver Will Vincent said.

“The whole hood was covered in blood,” he said.

“She jumped on one the vehicles that was parked in the alley, and there was a trash man also in the alley,” according to a man who said he witnessed the attack. “He noticed it as well, so he got out of his truck and tried to ward off the dogs with a stick.”

The man said he called 911 and grabbed a bat.

“I just warded the dogs off. I didn’t strike the dogs or anything like that. Nonetheless, I wanted the dog to know, ‘Hey, I’m not playing with you,’” he said.

Witnesses said a police officer who arrived on the scene pulled out his gun but did not shoot.

“I know how vicious a pit bull attack is. It was to the point I was telling this man, ‘Shoot him! Shoot him!’” Vincent said.

D.C. police said one of the dogs was captured and taken away by animal control.

Video shared with News4 by a neighbor shows one of the dogs trying to run away as animal control tried to get it on a leash.

The Humane Rescue Alliance said a dangerous dog investigation was underway.

They said in a statement: “There are no dogs currently running loose in the area. Since the dogs were in possession of the owner when we arrived (and not running at large/a stray), we could not forcefully take the dogs. We cannot forcefully take dogs that were already confined to the owner’s home for dog bite related cases.”

Neighbors describe repeated complaints about dogs

Three people who live on the block told News4 the dogs have been a nuisance for months but despite their complaints, nothing has been done.

One man, who asked not to be identified, said the dogs have been abused. He said he has complained to both the owner and the city.

“I think there is too much bureaucratic red tape to get a dog taken away in D.C. For a dangerous animal, somebody needs to be permanently disfigured or needs sutures. So far that hasn’t happened and there haven’t been enough recordings of abuse for them to be taken away in an abuse case,” he said.

A police officer found the man’s body in the car shortly before 4:15 a.m. at the intersection of Stanton Road and Mississippi Avenue SE. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have identified the victim as 35-year-old Christian Elsberry, of Clinton, Maryland.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may text the police department’s Text Tip Line at 50411.

People ducked for cover and a resident said he played dead during the gunfire Wednesday night at Independence Avenue and 15th Street SE, in the Hill East area.

Video obtained by News4 shows someone running, repeatedly shooting and then taking off in the other direction.

Police say one member of the group fired back. No one was hit, but a resident told News4 he was nearly caught in the crossfire.

“I hit the ground, rolled, hugged a tree, pretended I was dead in the gutter,” Burl Haigwood said.

He was walking to buy a lottery ticket when the gunfire began. Now he said he feels fortunate just to be alive.

“It was lucky. I thought I would be lucky hitting the lottery, but they said, no, you’re not gonna hit the lottery ‘cause you got lucky just to come back home. So, it can happen at any time,” he said.

Another resident was in her car when people began shooting, she told News4. Two of the bullets hit her car.

“I don’t care for guns, and I don’t want bullets flying near me ever. It was not great,” Shannon Fyfe said.

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Residents said that while the violence is terrifying and senseless, it’s also not surprising.

“There’s so much violence going on on this earth. It’s a shame you can’t even walk down the street,” Thomas Ford said.

“These last three years have been hectic. If it’s not for work, I don’t come in the District. I live in Virginia,” Johnny Gonzalez said.

D.C. crime statistics for the half-mile radius around the intersection show that in the past year there have been 12 assaults, 85 robberies and 119 stolen vehicles.

Fyfe, whose car was shot, said she wants to see District officials do more.

“I don’t think the city is doing what needs to be done in order to reduce crime, and gun violence in particular,” she said.

No arrests in the case were immediately announced. News4 reached out to the mayor’s office and police for comment on residents’ frustrations over crime and did not immediately hear back.

The victim, a 44-year-old Michael James Quander, Jr., was shot inside an apartment building on 2nd Place Southeast near M Street at around 3 a.m., D.C. police said. 

Authorities have not announced a suspect or possible motive in the deadly shooting. 

“I’m ready to move. This is unacceptable, very unacceptable. And I don’t like it,” neighbor Niko Jones said. 

“I have a camera on my door [and] I have a bar at my door that goes from the floor to the door, so that no one can just kick my door in,” resident Sheronda Magbie said.

Navy Yard has seen a number of violent crimes in recent months. In October, Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar was carjacked at gunpoint and a resident was chased and assaulted by an armed suspect in broad daylight. In February, a DC Housing Authority officer was shot. Just a few days ago, a manhunt was underway for an armed suspect who fled a traffic stop. 

“There’s been an uptick in crime for sure,” neighbor Jacklyn Hooey said. “[I’m] kinda just desensitized to it, if that makes sense.”

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, there were four homicides in the area this past year, compared to two the previous year. Car thefts were up 94%, and thefts from cars were up 62%. Robberies increased 35%. Assaults with a dangerous weapon, however, were actually down 14%. 

Magbie, a native Washingtonian, said seeing crime is nothing new. 

“I know what used to be here, so what you’re seeing now is a return to what was. I don’t care how much you dress it up, D.C. is going to be D.C.,” she said.  

Anyone with information on Sunday’s shooting is asked to contact police by calling 202-727-9099 or texting 50411. A reward of up to $25,000 may be available.

Steven Faison Jr., of Southeast, was the victim. He was a “gentle giant,” his sister, Jasmine Campbell, said. He was “a lovable uncle – the fun uncle. The kids loved him,” she said.

“My brother was a good, kind kid. He was only 27 years old. He was our youngest brother. Everybody loved him,” Antoine Campbell said.

Faison was delivering an order for Uber Eats with his girlfriend after 10 p.m. Thursday when the speeding driver of a stolen car slammed into them at Alabama Avenue and 25th Street SE.

Faison and his girlfriend were both ejected from the car. Faison died at the scene and his girlfriend was critically injured.

The driver of the stolen car got out and ran, police said. Investigators later learned the car, a Volkswagen Golf, had been stolen from Prince George’s County last month.

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Faison’s loved ones held a vigil for him on Wednesday night to honor him and bring attention to his case. Relatives said they hope witnesses will come forward and people in the area will check their cameras for any footage that could help identify the driver.

Antoine Campbell said he wants to see criminals face more consequences.

“I hope and urge that the city would do something about this and impose tougher laws and really catch these people,” he said. “This is someone that lost their life … This is a senseless crime that could have been avoided.”

Faison’s family had already been mourning a death; his cousin’s funeral was scheduled for the day after Faison was killed. The family is now mourning them both.

“Double grief, double stress on the family,” Jasmine Campbell said. “It’s been a lot for everybody.”

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.

While D.C. law requires the police department to release bodycam video from any use of force incident, the subject of the use of force — Stephen Rattigan, in this case — is allowed to block its release.

In the past, the mayor could override that decision in the public’s interest, but a change to the law made by the D.C. Council removed that authority from the mayor. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she believes the mayor should have that authority and she’s having her attorneys look at the law.

Police arrested Rattigan, 48, after a 13-hour standoff that began when he opened fire on officers at his home in the 5000 block of Hanna Place SE the morning of Feb. 14, police said. The officers were trying to serve him a warrant on animal cruelty charges, and he was facing eviction after his dogs menaced a 2-year-old, according to his landlord’s account in court documents.

One officer was shot in the hand, another was shot in the foot or leg and a third was struck twice, but his ballistic gear stopped the bullets, authorities said.

The wounded officers were released from the hospital the next day as a crowd applauded them.

Rattigan’s landlord was trying to evict him for failing to remove dogs from his home, court documents show. Twenty adult dogs and 11 puppies were taken from the home after Rattigan was arrested. Three Humane Rescue Alliance vans were used to transport them.

Suspect accused of punching dog in the head

Police initially went to Rattigan’s home with a warrant to arrest him as a suspect in an animal cruelty case after an officer investigated a neighbor’s complaint in January.

When the officer went to the home on Hanna Place, it smelled of urine and feces, the officer wrote in court documents.

The concerned neighbor showed the officer a video that led to the animal abuse charge. Police said the video shows the suspect repeatedly punch a dog in the head.

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In court documents, the officer said the video shows two of the dogs approaching a child “in an excited and friendly manner,” and an adult calmly picking up the child.

The suspect “then enters the picture… and approaches one of the dogs, grabbing it and pulling it away from [the adult] and child. The dog stays, cowering from [the suspect]. [The suspect] then proceeded to punch the dog in the face six times, causing the dog to yelp each time,” the officer wrote.

What officials say happened before Rattigan shot police

Court documents reveal what police say happened when they tried to serve the warrant. Officers knocked and said who they were, but Rattigan did not come out, officials say. The officers then breached the door but did not enter for fear of being attacked by dogs.

Rattigan then opened fire, police said.

He then called police himself and said he had fired warning shots at someone who was trying to get into his house. If they were there to get his dogs, they would have to kill him, he said.

Rattigan fired additional shots during the standoff because he was agitated as he waited for negotiators to bring him cigarettes, police said. Bullets hit a response truck and a neighbor’s Lexus.

Once Rattigan was taken into custody, officers found he had a Glock handgun with an extended magazine. He had no prior criminal history, records said.

The mother spoke only with News4 about the terrifying moment her 10-year-old was shot and wounded as she delivered a food order on Saturday night in Southeast D.C.

The single mother was working a second job as a DoorDash driver. Her son was with her as she dropped off an order on 13th Place SE.

She got out to drop off the order and heard several loud pops in the distance.

“We heard the gunshots. In that moment, I thought they were fireworks,” she said in Spanish.

She realized what was happening as her son yelling out that he had been hit.

“We hid and he puts his hand [where he was shot]. He pulls up his hand – full of blood,” she said.

“In that moment, he told me, ‘Mommy, don’t worry. I’m OK. I’ll hold until the ambulance arrives.’ He gave me even more strength,” she added.

Police responded at about 8:20 p.m. and Dilma Guardado’s son was taken to Children’s National Hospital. The bullet grazed him in the groin area. His wounds are expected to heal but he’s dealing with the trauma.

Police say the child was caught in crossfire as shooters opened fire. The search for the suspected shooters is ongoing. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.

Dilma Guardado said her faith and her thankfulness for her son’s survival keeps her going.

“It’s a miracle, a big miracle. It’ll be a miracle for the rest of my life. I have to give thanks to God for this,” she said.

She said she won’t deliver food orders again and will have to find another way to make ends meet.

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Two people are believed to have opened fire at each other in the 3400 block of 13th Place SE in the Congress Heights neighborhood at about 8:20 p.m., D.C. police said.

The boy’s mother, who did not want to be identified, said she was working for DoorDash and searching for a delivery’s drop-off location when gunfire erupted. 

She said she was startled, and then quickly realized her son had been struck in the groin area. They both ran for cover and called 911.

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The 10-year-old was released from the hospital and is now recovering at home, his mother said. 

“We do not believe he was the intended target of this situation. What we do have is evidence that shows he may have gotten caught between two individuals shooting at one another,” Commander LaShay Makal, of the D.C. police 7th district, said. 

On Monday, police investigators were once again combing the scene trying to find evidence.

They released surveillance images of a suspect and suspect vehicle that were captured by nearby cameras.

Luis Garcia, who works in the neighborhood, said he feels uncomfortable and concerned about his security. Others told News4 off camera that they were heartbroken to hear about the violence. 

The shooting highlights the dangerous situations food delivery drivers often face in the DMV.

Last year, researchers at Georgetown University surveyed 41 local delivery drivers. They found that 51% said they felt unsafe on the job, with 41% reporting they had experienced assaults or harassments.

The mother of the boy said she’s unsure whether she’ll continue her work as a delivery driver.

Police are offering a reward for any information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

A large crowd of Metropolitan Police Department officers greeted the three wounded officers outside MedStar Washington Hospital Center on Thursday morning.

One officer walked out with his right arm bandaged as he held a woman’s hand. Another used a wheelchair and had a blanket draped over his lap as he smiled, waved and shook hands with colleagues. A third man walked out holding a woman’s hand and hugged the officers there to greet him.

Chief of Police Pamela Smith said the officers’ release marks a “great day.”

“It’s a good feeling when we can see our officers walking out of the hospital or even going out in a wheelchair,” she said.

Smith said she offered her support and the officers said they would return to work.

“One of them shouted out to me, ‘Don’t worry, chief. We’ll be right back,’” she said.

Police say an animal cruelty suspect shot the officers as they tried to serve him with an arrest warrant early Wednesday. He remained barricaded in a home on Hanna Place SE for 13 hours and continued to fire gunshots. Nearly schools were locked down and entire city blocks were closed.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

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Stephen Claude Rattigan, 48, was arrested after a 13-hour standoff that began when he opened fire on officers at his home in the 5000 block of Hanna Place SE early Wednesday, police say. Authorities initially gave a different name for the suspect but on Thursday morning said that Rattigan had provided a fake name.

Rattigan appeared in court Thursday and did not enter a plea. A judge ordered him held without bond and ordered a mental evaluation.

The wounded officers were released from the hospital on Thursday, and a crowd applauded as they left.

Charges for the officers’ shooting are pending.

Rattigan’s landlord was trying to evict him for failing to remove dogs from his home, court documents show.

Twenty adult dogs and 11 puppies were taken from the home after Rattigan was arrested Wednesday evening. Three Humane Rescue Alliance vans were used to transport them.

Suspect accused of punching dog six times

Police initially went to Rattigan’s home with a warrant to arrest him as a suspect in an animal cruelty case after an officer investigated a neighbor’s complaint in January.

When the officer went to the home on Hanna Place, it smelled of urine and feces, the officer wrote in court documents.

The concerned neighbor showed the officer a video that led to the animal abuse charge.

Only on 4: Police say video shows the suspect repeatedly punch a dog in the head.

In court documents, the officer said the video shows two of the dogs approaching a child “in an excited and friendly manner,” and an adult calmly picking up the child.

The suspect “then enters the picture… and approaches one of the dogs, grabbing it and pulling it away from [the adult] and child. The dog stays, cowering from [the suspect]. [The suspect] then proceeded to punch the dog in the face six times, causing the dog to yelp each time,” the officer wrote.

A second dog nearby was not involved in the incident, the documents said.

A warrant for animal cruelty was issued under an apparent alias that Rattigan used.

New details on what officials say happened before Rattigan shot police

Court documents reveal new details on what police say happened on Wednesday. Officers knocked and said who they were but Rattigan did not come out, officials say. The officers then breached the door but did not enter, for fear of being attacked by dogs.

Rattigan then opened fire on them, police say.

He then called police himself and said he had fired warning shots at someone who was trying to get into his house. If they were there to get his dogs, they would have to kill him, he said.

Rattigan fired additional shots during the standoff because he was agitated as he waited for negotiators to bring him cigarettes, police said. Bullets hit a response truck and a neighbor’s Lexus.

Once Rattigan was taken into custody, police say they found he had a Glock handgun with an extended magazine. He had no prior criminal history, records say.

Shooting shocks Southeast DC community

A Humane Rescue Alliance employee was with police when officers tried to serve the warrant but was not hurt, the group said. It’s unclear if anyone else was injured.

One D.C. police officer was shot in the hand, authorities said. Another was shot in the foot or leg, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith said. The third officer was struck twice, but his ballistic gear stopped the bullets, D.C. Police Union Chairman Greggory Pemberton said.

The officers were “in good spirits” and recovering from their injuries, Smith said Wednesday afternoon.

Investigators were seen walking in and out of the house Thursday morning. Bullet holes were visible in the front door, and yellow police tape was stretched across Hanna Street.

The gunfire upended daily life in the neighborhood near the border with Maryland. A swarm of police vehicles shut down multiple city blocks.

“When I say crazy, I mean crazy. I came home and they had every street blocked off,” Grace Bell, a resident on Hanna Place, said.

She had to park her car farther from her home than usual because of the police response.

“I was shocked this happened on the block, but this is just something we deal with around here. We always hear gunshots. But to see the police presence, I knew it was something serious,” Bell said.

“This is a magnitude of police cars I’ve never seen in my life,” one woman said.

“I’m grateful, I’m really grateful to the police department that they didn’t shoot him and kill him,” said Tammy Alexander, who lives two doors down from the suspect.

“I have said hi, bye to this guy with the dogs. We kinda feared the dogs, but other than that, there was no problem. He was a very nice guy,” she said.

Young children were shuttled into school by police officers and multiple schools were put on lockdown as the suspect fired at law enforcement from time to time while he was barricaded inside his home.

“I’m outraged because my son goes right here to this school. I was coming to take him to school and wasn’t able to get through and I’m just like … I’m shocked. I’m really shocked,” another woman said.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

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The eyes of those who gathered in front of a Northeast D.C. rec center reflected the shock and grief enveloping Crump’s family. It’s been only a week since they received the news that is every parent’s worst nightmare.

While she was with a family friend, the little girl was struck and killed by a Jeep in the parking lot of a BP gas station on Pennsylvania Avenue SE. The driver stayed on the scene and cooperated with police.

On Wednesday night, the community showed up to tell her mothers how much they loved the strong, confident, positive little girl.

“Zyinya was the main reason when I came home, it made me want to be better,” said her uncle Delonte Stewart. “She made me enjoy being an uncle. It made me realize how much of a blessing it was to even be a father. Zyinya was like my daughter.”

Her teachers rushed to the hospital upon hearing news of the crash. On Wednesday night, they were among those who spoke at the vigil.

“We love Zyinya so, so much,” one teacher said through tears. “We partied a lot; we had so much fun. Zyinya was so great. We love her. We’re going to miss her so, so much.”

The principal of Crump’s school, Ketcham Elementary, gave her mothers donations from those who wanted to do what they could to help.

“Every day when I used to see her walking, holding her mother’s hand, coming in, she was smiling,” said Principal LaCondria Beckwith. “And her mother was like, ‘You know, I like this school.’ And I’m just glad that, for those two years, that we were able to just be there for them.”

At that point, Beckwith broke down into tears.

As the vigil ended, friends and family released balloons in Crump’s favorite colors.

Then they looked toward the sky like they might see her there.

It’s one of the memories that her parents, Lamia Cain and Chantel Stewart, are holding onto after their sweet baby girl was killed, in a tragedy earlier this week in Southeast D.C.

“My daughter was the happiest baby ever,” Cain said, through heavy tears and with a shaking voice. “And honestly, we made sure that my daughter was happy. Like my daughter was a blessing to us.”

Cain and Stewart say their daughter loved school. She was a fan of video games, and learning about makeup.

It was Tuesday afternoon when their lives changed forever.

“I got her up and got her dressed for school — ” Cain said, before choking up too much to continue speaking.

“She came in the room,” Stewart said, picking up the memory. “And she looked cute, as she always do.”

Zyinya was struck and killed in a BP gas station parking lot at Minnesota and Pennsylvania Avenues in Southeast Washington, just before 4 p.m. The little girl — crossing the parking lot at the time — ran into the path of a car.

Zyinya was rushed to a hospital, where she later died.

“Everything that I’ve built was for her. Everything,” Stewart said. “Like she was everything.”

The driver, not yet identified by police, stayed on the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

“She was innocent, she was five,” Stewart said, voice cracking. “How fast do you have to be going at a gas station parking lot?”

Investigators say the collision happened during the afternoon rush hour. Zyinya’s parents say it’s a time when the roads around the gas station are congested with traffic.

“It’s three different directions that you can go in, and again, people cut through so much to die down the traffic,” Stewart said. “And that needs to stop.”

Washington DC Jan 30

5-year-old girl hit, killed at gas station in Southeast DC

Washington DC Jan 30

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“It should be a crossing guard, or at least somebody there, to walk or watch the streets. It’s not just that the lights are out a lot,” Stewart said.

Video from the scene showed investigators examining the front of a Jeep, which was believed to have hit Zyinya.

The little girl had just celebrated her fifth birthday. Her parents say they were waiting at home Tuesday afternoon with McDonald’s, one of Zyinya’s favorite after-school treats, when they got the call that no parent should ever have to experience.

Now they’re calling for changes at the intersection, after losing their only daughter.

“Just be careful,” Cain said. “And that bus stop, I think, is in a horrible place. I think they should just take that bus stop down.”

The little girl was running across the parking lot of a BP station at Minnesota and Pennsylvania avenues SE just before 4 p.m. when she ran into the path of a vehicle, police said.

The child was rushed to a hospital but did not survive her injuries. She was identified as 5-year-old Zyina Crump of Southeast D.C., police said in an update Wednesday.

“Our hearts go out to the family,” Cmdr. Jaron Hickman said.

The collision happened in daylight around rush hour, a time when the area around the gas station is busy and congested with traffic.

The driver remained at the scene after the crash. Police did not identify the driver but said that person was cooperating with the investigation.

Investigators examined the front of the Jeep that was believed to have hit Zyina and interviewed the driver. Video from the scene showed a Jeep with D.C. plates. The car’s back window was covered in stickers; the dashboard was lined with colorful rubber ducks.

News4’s sister station Telemundo44 spoke to a woman who said she was selling flowers nearby when the child was struck. She said she saw her lying on the ground.

It was not immediately clear who was with Zyina at the time of the crash, or why she was in the gas station’s parking lot.

Police were reviewing surveillance video of the incident.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities were not ready to release any information on any potential charges, they said.

Anyone who was driving through the area at the time was asked to contact police at 202-727-9099 or text their tip to police at 50411.

On Jan. 18, a large blast ripped through the 1200 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE in the Anacostia neighborhood. A building that was home to a convenience store was leveled and Baby Einstein Child Development Center was among the damaged buildings. 

But in the midst of having to rebuild, the day care’s owner Regina Snead, who for more than 10 years has served families in Southeast D.C., is also finding new ways to help parents out.

Snead’s friend, who runs Matthews Memorial Child Development Center less than a mile away, has opened up her doors.

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“Childcare is limited in D.C., especially affordable childcare. We know the importance of it and she definitely understands my plight,” Snead said.  

But space is limited. Right now, Snead  is only able to take in about 18 kids, whereas in her old building she could take care of 52.

Still, it’s a big difference for parents who are once again able to lean on Baby Einstein for support.

“I was elated. I was excited. I was glad to have an answer for my parents. I know they’ve been waiting for me. Everybody’s like, ‘Ms. Snead, what are we gonna do?’ So I was super excited,” Snead said. 

On the day of the blast, firefighters got a call at 9:30 a.m. for a gas leak at the meter of the building that would explode. They contacted Washington Gas and began evacuations.

Snead and her staff quickly left the building as soon as they smelled gas, making sure that all 16 kids, between 2 months to 4 years old, got out safe.

Surveillance video shows the inside of the building during the explosion, which sent items flying across the room and blew windows out.

Snead feels lucky it wasn’t worse. 

“It’s a wonderful experience because they get to stay together. They know that other people out there care about them, so I think it’s a great experience for them,” she said.  

It could be about six months before the Baby Einstein facility is able to reopen its doors. But they’re not starting from scratch–because they have the support of so many.

“I know my community. They are willing to help. I got so much support from other day care centers. It’s amazing. Anything they had that they could spare, they were willing to give. They were willing to bring it over,” Snead said.

Snead has set up an online fundraiser to help with expenses. The day care is also asking for child care supply donations. For more information on how you can help, you can call the center at (202) 610-5437.

Cynthia Pree had one of those small lots next to her childhood home, where she now lives. Her family first purchased the house on a corner of M Street in Southeast in 1962, when she was just a little girl. From her bedroom window, she enjoyed the view of the maple, pear, apple and fig trees, some of which were planted by her late father. She said her family mowed and maintained the small lot next to them, even though it was not theirs.

“I remember my parents saying there was a part of the lot that we didn’t own,” she said.

Now those trees have been cleared and the small lot with a downward slope has been leveled. The view outside her bedroom window is different too, after a newly constructed three-story home started going up, towering over the rest of the post-World War II homes in the community.

“Literally today it was like having a solar eclipse,” she told the News4 I-Team.

City tax records show the patch of land was sold at a tax sale and eventually deeded to developer District Properties.com in 2020. One day last spring, Pree had a visitor.

“I got a knock on the door May 15, and a gentleman said, ‘I’m coming to cut your trees.’ I said, What?’ He said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to build on the property here,’” she recalled.

D.L. Humphrey, the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Pree’s neighborhood, said the community tried to fight the development saying, “We’re mad. We’re angry that this is happening.”

Humphrey said he and other concerned neighbors met with the city’s Department of Buildings, which originally told them that the permit would be revoked because “the current lot square footage was not deemed buildable based on current zoning requirements.”

But then the city reversed its decision, saying in an email: “During the issuance process for revocation of the permits, the original permit was reviewed by senior management within the DOB Zoning Administration and it was determined that the permit was not issued in error.”

“It’s just been a complete mess. A complete disaster for this neighborhood,” Humphrey said about the confusing process.

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Thousands of vacant lots could be developed

The News4 I-Team spoke with Brian Hanlon, the director of DC’s Department of Buildings, who said the newly constructed home is legal.

“Everything you’re seeing there is in accordance with the code,” he said.

He said that while the lot is smaller than most, that doesn’t preclude the developer from being able to actually develop on it.

In 2016, the District rewrote its zoning regulations and grandfathered in any previously substandard lots, also known as non-conforming lots, to be built on as long as the development met all other current requirements. A spokesperson for the Department of Buildings told the I-Team: “The District of Columbia’s zoning regulations (11 DCMR C-301.1) allow for the development of lots that do not comply with the minimum lot dimension and lot area requirements if the lot already existed when the regulations became effective.”

As for the property next to Pree, they said: “The lot in question has existed since 1907; therefore, it can be developed despite the currently nonconforming lot dimension and lot area requirements. The approved plans comply with all other development standards.”

It’s referred to as building “by right”. A spokesperson for the Department of Buildings said there are approximately 5,706 vacant lots with the potential to be built upon “by right.”

The man behind the big house

The developer behind the big home going up on Pree’s street is Mohammad Sikder with District Properties.com. He’s renovated dozens of homes in D.C. and told the I-Team he’s interested in developing other non-conforming lots, but couldn’t say how many.

While he declined an on-camera interview, he did say he has more than 20 years experience as a developer and decided to build such a large home in the community to make it more marketable in today’s real estate climate.
Sikder has been in trouble in the past. Back in 2019, he served two months in prison and was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for violating federal lead-based paint laws with some properties. Sikder told the I-Team that no one was hurt or killed as a result of the lead paint violations and that the conviction is in his past.

ANC Humphrey said he doesn’t believe Sikder should be permitted to do business in D.C.

“When a developer could come in and just build something of this magnitude and have really no remorse for the neighborhood whatsoever, I mean, it hurts,” he said.

Humphrey said he’s also upset because the developer did not discuss the construction with the neighborhood before obtaining permits and building. Humphrey is the constituent services director for Councilmember Vincent Gray and told the I-Team he plans to bring up his concerns with the D.C. Council.

Hanlon said while the builder wasn’t required to speak with neighbors, “I think it’s always good for whether it’s a homeowner or a developer, to notify the neighbors that they plan on doing work. It sounds like that didn’t happen in a very timely way in this case.”

‘We don’t regulate aesthetics’

Hanlon told the I-Team he understands the frustration of Pree and her neighbors.

“Look, I’m an architect. I drive around the city. I see pop-ups going up and a lot of them look goofy. You know, they just don’t look right. They don’t fit in architecturally, but they’re allowable,” he said.

He pointed out his agency does not regulate aesthetics.

For now, the construction next to Pree has come to a halt due to a stop-work order issued back in December because there was no plan submitted for the sprinkler system.

Sikder told the I-Team he plans to submit it shortly, meaning work could once again start up.

The Department of Buildings said it encourages residents to contact DOB with any construction, permit, vacant building or maintenance questions. You can visit DOB.dc.gov for more information and resources.

Reported by Tracee Wilkins, produced by Rick Yarborough, shot by Steve Jones and Jeff Piper, and edited by Steve Jones

The explosion occurred in the 1200 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE, in the Anacostia neighborhood. A building that was home to a convenience store was leveled and two other buildings are damaged, including one with a transitional housing facility for women.

Firefighters got a call at 9:30 a.m. for a gas leak at the meter of the building that would explode. They contacted Washington Gas and began evacuations, with help from staff at the Baby Einstein Child Development Center, who helped get children in their coats and outside fast.

Washington DC Jan 18

Explosion levels building in Southeast DC; 16 children in day care next door evacuated in time

Washington DC Jan 19

DC building explosion displaces 36 women in transitional housing

Southeast DC Jan 18

Video shows explosion that leveled building in Southeast DC

The large blast ripped through about 15 minutes after 16 children, between 2 months to 4 years old, were all safely evacuated.

Owner Regina Snead shared surveillance video of the inside of the building during the explosion, which sent items flying across the room and blew windows out.

Snead said every month, their staff practices these sorts of emergency evacuations, so their training kicked in and more than likely saved lives.

“I’m glad we got out. When we smelled gas, I said, ‘Let’s exit the building,’ and everyone jumped into play,” Snead said. “I’m just glad that I could make sure that the children we were entrusted with were safe that day.”

But the aftermath is also a big blow to parents with few day care options in the neighborhood, since it could be anywhere from four to six months before the facility is able to reopen. 

The day care is now trying to find a temporary space to operate, so they can continue to provide their services. A lot of the supplies inside the facility were destroyed, so the center has set up an online fundraiser to help them get back on their feet and continue to support families in Anacostia.

“Words just can’t express how I feel. I know we’re ready to continue to build bigger and better for our children, our parents, our families, and our community,” Snead said.

The cleanup effort on the block is expected to be extensive.

Recovery priorities including relocating the day care center so it can resume its vital role in the community. The convenience store that was leveled also plays an important role in the neighborhood, which has fewer grocery opportunities than many other parts of the District.

A building exploded in Southeast D.C. as crews responded to a report of a gas leak on Thursday morning. One man received minor injuries but 16 children in a nearby day care center were evacuated in time and are safe, authorities said.

The children were evacuated from Babi Einstein Child Development Center just 15 minutes before the powerful blast caught on video.

The explosion occurred in the 1200 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE, in the Anacostia neighborhood. A building that was home to a convenience store was leveled and two other buildings are damaged, including one with a transitional housing facility for women. DC Fire and EMS evacuated people from the building and neighboring buildings before the blast.

Firefighters’ fast thinking saved lives and averted tragedy, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

“We’re grateful to the firefighters for making the necessary decision to get everyone out,” she said.

“When I saw the building itself, my mouth fell open. If the children had been in that building, they would have very definitely been impacted,” the mayor said.

“I think we’re very lucky today,” she added, thanking DC Fire and EMS for getting the children out of the day care in time.

“The potential for severe injuries was high, but again, having arrived here in time to make an evacuation, I think we probably avoided any number of possible serious injuries,” DC Fire and EMS spokesman Vito Maggiolo said live on News4.

The day care center owner also was commended for having an emergency plan and executing it fast and flawlessly, potentially saving the lives of every child and employee.

Crews’ urgency likely also saved lives at Calvary Women’s Services’ housing facility, Heather Laing of the nonprofit said.

“I know that the actions of the emergency personnel this morning saved the lives of the women in our program, so we’re incredibly grateful,” she said.

‘The building just exploded’

Firefighters got a call at 9:30 a.m. for a gas leak at the meter of the building that would explode. They quickly determined they couldn’t stop the leak. They contacted Washington Gas and began evacuations, with help from the day care staff to get children in their coats and outside fast.

“The gas was very noticeable. You could hear it leaking as well as smell it from the street,” Lt. Ryan Bolton of DC Fire and EMS said.

Within 15 minutes of emergency crews’ arrival, the explosion occurred.

“The building just exploded,” someone can be heard saying on a dispatch call.

A man suffered minor injuries after he was hit outside by flying debris. He was taken to a hospital. The force of the blast blew out windows at the day care.

News4 footage shows firefighters working to put out flames. Bricks and rubble crashed onto the street and sidewalk.

Smoke could be seen from miles away.

Calvary Women’s Services suffered heavy smoke and water damage. Thirty-six women had to be relocated and many lost all of their possessions.

The charity is accepting donations on its website, including gift cards so women can start to replace their lost belongings.

The organization helps women find ”safe housing, good health and financial independence,” its website says.

ANC Commissioner Robin McKinney said she rushed to the block to make sure children at the day care center were safe.

“They were able to rush all the children out,” she said.

Families were contacted, McKinney said. She said she hopes the children will have someplace to go on Friday so parents can go to work as usual. She thanked the day care operator.

“She’s been an excellent neighbor, and we just want to ensure that the babies are OK," she said.

The fire continued to burn and set off additional explosions. Washington Gas had the gas turned off by 1 p.m.

Firefighters believe a truck struck the meter and caused a leak, but an investigation is underway.

Long cleanup and recovery effort expected

The cleanup effort on the block is expected to be extensive.

Recovery priorities including relocating the day care center so it can resume its vital role in the community. The convenience store that was leveled also plays an important role in the neighborhood, which has fewer grocery opportunities than many other parts of the District.

What to do if you smell natural gas

If you think you smell natural gas, leave the area and leave doors and windows open if you can, information from Washington Gas says.

Go someplace safe, call 911 and call the Washington Gas emergency line: 1-844-WASHGAS.

Don’t smoke or turn appliances or lights on.

“The most reliable sign of a natural gas leak is smell. Washington Gas adds an odorant called mercaptan to create the distinctive smell of sulfur or rotten eggs,” the utility says online.

About 18 power company customers in the area were without power. Anyone who needs help, especially amid frigid temperatures, is advised to call 311.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

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The affected residents are now trying to stay warm as they navigate a situation made more complicated by the fact that their homes sit right on the D.C.-Maryland line.

The bits of toilet tissue and other objects still floating in the water bubbling up through the sidewalk will tell you all you need to know about what’s been filling up the basement levels of some homes on Southern Avenue SE since Monday night.

It began when someone noticed water on the floor of the bathroom in a finished basement at about 9 p.m.

“We grabbed the wet vac and you know, were cleaning up the water and it was coming from the shower. And around 9 o’clock, we were like, oh my God, it’s coming in the back door as well,” resident Khianti Silver said. 

The dark, foul-smelling water continued to rise. Images show how it swamped upholstered furniture, electronics, appliances, storage closets and precious family mementos.

The affected homeowners are DC Water customers who called an emergency line to report that something was seriously wrong. 

“No one showed up here until around 10:20 this morning, and when they got here, the truck fell into the hole,” Silver said. 

An image of one of the first responding DC Water vehicles shows its wheel sinking into the road. 

“The ground just started sinking and the truck fell in, and it was like, OK, what’s really going on?” Silver said.

Then came the news no one expected: the sewage was coming from a damaged, 10-inch diameter pipe that was actually steps over the line in Maryland. It was therefore the responsibility of WSSC Water.

“We will work with these customers. We will get cleaning companies out here. We will do everything we can to help them through this situation,” WSSC spokesperson Lyn Riggins said. “With utilities like this buried underground, there’s not a quick fix. There’s not a quick answer, but we are working as quickly as we can.”

Many of the affected homes have finished basements, and the contents are likely to be a complete loss.

Marion Barry Avenue SE was officially unveiled on Saturday at a ceremony that renamed Good Hope Road SE in Wards 7 and 8 in honor of the man dubbed D.C.’s “mayor for life.” You can watch a recording of the ceremony here.

Nov 23, 2014

From the Files: News4's Pat Collins interviews Marion Barry

Anacostia Nov 15, 2023

Ground broken for go-go museum in Anacostia

The four-term mayor first got his start in the political arena as a civil rights activist and the first chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. 

His contributions to the city were paramount. The mayor was beloved by many for his resiliency and dedication to the District up until his death in 2014.

Among those who spoke about the importance of the dedication were Michael C. Rogers, chair of the Marion Barry Legacy Foundation, and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton.

“I can say few mayors have had the impact on their city that Marion Barry had on Washington, D.C.,” Rogers said.

“He had used his fine mind and pension for hard work to write his own ticket into the professional class,” Norton said.

On Saturday, plenty of hallmarks of D.C. culture were on display, including go-go music. News4’s Tony Perkins served as the emcee for the ceremony.

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The protesters had gathered outside of the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) just south of the Capitol before several dozen demonstrators got into a shoving match with officers, authorities said.

Six Capitol officers suffered minor injuries, according to a spokesperson for Capitol police. The officers were treated for minor cuts, being punched and “being pepper sprayed,” the agency said Thursday.

The department also confirmed that a 24-year-old from New York was arrested and charged with assault on an officer.

According to Capitol Police, an officer witnessed the suspect “slam another officer into a garage door and then punch the female officer in the face.”

Scores of Democratic representatives and candidates, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, were inside the building for a campaign reception when it was interrupted by chanting outside. Protesters said they wanted to block entrances and exits to force politicians to encounter their candlelight vigil and their calls for an end to the fighting. Many of them wore black shirts saying “Cease Fire Now.”

“Right now our officers are working to keep back approximately 150 people who are illegally and violently protesting in the area of Canal Street and Ivy Street, SE,” police said in a post on X at 8:30 p.m. In an updated statement Thursday, Capitol Police said the group “was not peaceful” and didn’t obey orders to move away from the DNC building.

Capitol Police said the demonstrators “moved dumpsters in front of the exits, pepper sprayed our officers and attempted to pick up the bike rack.”

But protesters blamed police for the violence, saying officers rushed them without warning.

“It’s unacceptable. Peaceful anti-war protesters laid out candles to represent all those lives lost so tragically, and the police here escalated violently against peaceful protesters,” said Rabbi Jessica Rosenburg, an organizer with Rabbis for Ceasefire who recently interrupted President Joe Biden’s speech at a fundraiser in Minneapolis.

The officers used pepper spray on some protesters and pushed the group back to about a block away from the DNC, police said. 

“It is shameful the way that nonviolent protesters and members of our community were met with violence tonight,” said Dani Noble, who came from Philadelphia for the demonstration. “It is absolutely shameful.”

Noble said police, some of whom were wearing riot gear, started “pulling on folks that are disabled or have, have chronic illnesses, pulling people to the ground.”

Members of the DNC were evacuated, and Capitol police asked people to avoid the area.

In a statement on X, Illinois Rep. Sean Casten said he was evacuated from the building by authorities and urged protesters not to do anything “irresponsible.”

“You have the Constitutional right to peaceably assemble and protest. But blocking all entries to a building with multiple members of Congress in it, protected by Capitol Police officers who have lived through January 6 is putting you and other innocent people at risk,” he said. “We were rescued by armed officers who did not know the protestors’ intent; they knew only that Members of Congress were inside, could not leave and that protestors would not let police through. Forcing police to guess intent is irresponsible and dangerous.”

Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, said he was evacuated from the building by police after protesters began “pepper spraying police officers and attempting to break into the building,” the Associated Press reported.

Video of the scene showed Capitol police officers mounted on bikes and later in riot gear as they clashed with demonstrators.

The groups Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now were among the participants. The groups shared photos and videos on X of people at a candlelight vigil outside DNC headquarters to mourn those killed since the start of the war. They also posted images of protesters blocking the entrance to the building and their confrontation with police.

A major police presence remained at 10:30 p.m., but the crowd had dispersed.

The Metropolitan Police Department said its officers also responded to the disturbance. Congressional staffers received an alert telling them no one would be permitted to enter or exit any House office buildings, but authorities later reopened the entrances.

South Capitol Street between Canal and E streets SE and Ivy Street between Canal Street and New Jersey Avenue SE were closed. By Thursday morning, no protesters or police could be seen.

It was unclear if a particular event was taking place inside the DNC building at the time of the protest. 

“We’re monitoring the situation outside the DNC and are in touch with USCP and Metro Police, who are directing the security response,” a DNC spokesperson said.

This is a developing story. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A man was walking the French bulldogs in the 5200 block of East Capitol Street SE at about 4 a.m. when he was approached by three people, police said. They showed guns and robbed the victim of his dogs.

“He had just, like, a big rifle type of gun, like not a shotgun, but something, like, automatic,” said the owner, who does not want to be identified. “Then I looked to his left and his right, and there’s two more individuals with facemasks, holding, like, smaller handguns. You know, it kind of caught me off guard. I didn’t really know what they wanted. I thought, you know, maybe they may have wanted my cellphone or my wallet.”

As the owner tried to walk away, he tripped, allowing the thieves to grab his dogs and run away.

The dogs are Chewy, a female with brown fur who is about 18 pounds; Coco, a female with white fur who is about 30 pounds; and Buttercup, a female with brown fur and spots who is about 25 pounds.

The owner said he’s had all three since they were puppies, and they can be expensive — as much as $30,000 or $40,000.

“The fluffy French bulldog, right now, if you look on Google, you’ll see them for, like, crazy prices,” he said.

He said another of his dogs was stolen in April.

“You don’t really think it’s going to happen to you, and for me, It’s like I love Frenchies, like the Frenchie I just got, I’ve been waiting for that Frenchie for three years,” he said. “Like, I really wanted that dog more than I pretty much wanted anything else on this earth.”

He said he’s considering leaving D.C.

“This kind of was like the final straw to the final straw,” he said. “So, we’re going to move. Our lease ends.”

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. A reward of up to $10,000 is offered.

“Next 12, 14, 16 years of their life, I was going to rock out with them, and l love my dogs and I just, like, really want them to be in like a safe, good area,” he said. “I spend a lot of time with my dogs.”

Similar dognappings have happened this year in Fort Totten and on 14th Street NW, in which the owner chased down a bus to rescue her dog.

Robberies are up in D.C. by 67%, crime statistics show.

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Video obtained by News4 shows the ambulance in motion with its lights flashing as the driver repeatedly honks the horn. The driver rounds a turn and waves as she passes someone who’s recording.

The ambulance was taken from the 3600 block of 22nd Street SE at about 10:35 a.m. as its crew treated a patient in a nearby apartment building, police said. The location is north of Mississippi Avenue, near the D.C.-Maryland line.

Maurice Evans said he was working in an apartment and then stepped outside.

“I saw the lady standing there, and then she just jumped in the ambulance, put on the uniform and [was] trying to start it. I was like, ‘Oh, this is not good,’” he said.

A member of the ambulance’s crew called for help.

“Someone stole our ambulance while we were assisting a patient in her apartment,” a man could be heard saying on a dispatch call.

Witnesses said the ambulance thief rode around the block and then was taken into custody.

“Five cops, three motorcycles, and they were chasing them around,” Kenneth Davis said.

Francine Hilton, 46, of Southeast, was arrested and faces charges including theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle and fleeing from law enforcement.

No one was injured and no patients were in the ambulance when it was taken, police said. Another ambulance arrived and its crew picked up the patient who the first crew had been treating.

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The theft comes amid a 100% spike in motor vehicle thefts in D.C., from 3,022 at this time last year to 6,038 so far this year.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Officers responded to the 1800 block of Fairlawn Avenue SE, just south of DC-295, at about 7:35 p.m. for the report of “found human remains,” the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement Tuesday.

Officers found the man’s remains in a trash can. An autopsy determined he had been shot multiple times. His identity is still unknown, and a homicide investigation is underway.

Police did not immediately release any identifying information.

The remains were found amid a spike in crime in D.C., with homicides up 31% and total violent crime up 41%, according to MPD crime statistics.

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Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. A reward of up to $25,000 is available. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

First, D.C. police were called to the 3500 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE at about 9:15 p.m. for reports of a shooting. On the scene, they found that two men had been shot. They were taken to a hospital and were expected to survive, police said.

Then, just after 10 p.m., officers were called to the 1200 block of Seventh Street NW for reports of a shooting. They found two men shot, and both were taken to a hospital.

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Police were looking for a gray Kia seen headed away from the scene of the second shooting.

No information was immediately released on suspects, what led to the shootings or the extent of the victims’ injuries.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.

D.C. police describe Brandon Gant as an innocent victim of gun violence. There has been no arrest, and his mother wants to make sure his case isn’t forgotten.

Gant was killed in September, a week shy of his 24th birthday. 

On Saturday, friends, family and neighbors gathered for a march to the scene on Minnesota Avenue SE. 

“They really, really hurt me. And it’s sad that I have to go through this. And it’s painful, and it hurts,” the victim’s mother, Toloria Gant, said.  

Police believe her son may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught up in neighborhood crew violence.

This is video of the car detectives believe the shooter was riding in. 

“Justice must be served,” Dajaun Gant, the victim’s brother, said. “It’s unfortunate that we had to have a brother taken away from us. No one should be able to feel this pain.” 

Gant was shot while driving his mother’s car on Sept. 6 on Minnesota Avenue SE. He was going to a gas station to get her some allergy medicine because she wasn’t feeling well. 

It was 3:30 a.m. He never returned.

Police believe a driver cut him off, and someone got out and shot into Gant’s car. 

They suspect Gant, or his vehicle, may have been mistakenly targeted. 

“It’s unfortunate that people as young as me have to look at their momma and just see them cry for 24 hours straight, just see them cry,” Jalen Gant, the victim’s brother, said. 

When flyers with his photo and a $25,000 reward offer were posted, someone ripped them down. Relatives put up more on Saturday.

Loved ones say Gant was not involved in criminal activity, and they want whoever shot him to be held accountable.

“I just know that my son was a really sweet young man. He didn’t bother no one. He’s really intelligent. He’s quiet. He was loved by so many,” his mother said. 

Arthur Porter was killed. He was 33.

An officer just weeks out of the police academy was shot in what a police official called a “non-critical” part of his side, and he is expected to recover.

The shooting unfolded at about 5 p.m. on Oct. 19 after police were called for a report of a man with a gun involved in a dispute with two women.

As officers approached Porter, he began to run. Two officers chased him, the footage shows.

An officer can be heard on his radio warning that the suspect has a gun.

“He’s got a gun in his pocket. Don’t pull it out!” an officer shouts.

Then, shots are fired.

Washington DC Oct 19, 2023

Officer shot, suspect killed in shootout in Southeast DC

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DC police officer injured in shootout new to the force

Slowing the video shows that the officer who was shot was standing between the suspect and the other officer who opened fire. The officer can be seen falling to the ground.

It’s still unclear whether the suspect or a fellow officer shot the officer who was struck.

“We have to let the investigation determine exactly what transpired,” Assistant Chief of Police Leslie Parson said.

It also was unclear if the suspect was hit during the first exchange.

Moments later, another officer encountered Porter and fired several shots, striking Porter.

Police said they’re working to determine if Porter fired at the second officer.

“That’s what the investigation will reveal. It would be tough for me to try to speculate in watching a video,” Parsons said.

Police said there’s evidence that Porter fired at the first officer and at the rookie officer who was struck.

Complicating the investigation, the bullet in the rookie officer’s body cannot be retrieved, sources said.

Both officers are on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

A “parenting revival” event held in D.C. aimed to help families who are struggling to keep their kids out of trouble or trying to prevent future problems. The session held at the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) on Sunday gave parents space to talk about what they face and what they need.

Amid a surge in youth crime in D.C., the idea for the event was born out of youth revivals, where young people talk about what they need and what they lack at home.

“Sometimes parents have a lot to deal with,” community activist Brenda H. Jones said.

“For me, I had three kids. I didn’t become a father ’til the third child,” organizer Charles Holton admitted.

He and others are now working to help parents.

“Most parents are doing a great job, but it’s a different world that we live in today,” organizer Ron Moten said.

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Interim Chief of Police Pamela Smith attended and said she relates to the tough home lives many young people deal with.

“I come from a place where I didn’t have a good family foundation or structure. My mom raised us on welfare and food stamps. I use that terminology because I think people understand that,” she said.

“There are things going on internally within families that are driving our young people outside of their home and into places and spaces that we just don’t want them to be,” Smith added.

Social worker Yvette Thompkins said she hopes parents will feel less of a stigma about seeking help.

“The same way you need a tuneup for your car, you need a mind tuneup, you need someone to talk to about anxiety and depression, and hopefully we can create an atmosphere where people feel more open,” she said.

Police went to the 2800 block of Gainesville Street SE after two 911 calls about a man with a gun arguing with two women about 5 p.m., police said. Officers saw a man matching the suspect’s description and chased him when there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and two officers, wounding one of the officers.

“While they were running, there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and at least two of our officers,” acting Chief of Police Pamela Smith said. “One officer and the suspect were struck by gunfire. Officers rendered aid to the suspect until paramedics arrived.”

The suspect was taken to a hospital and has since died, police said.

The officer who was shot was taken to George Washington University Hospital in a police cruiser. They are in stable condition. Sources say the officer was shot in the leg.

A second officer was injured in the mayhem of the shootout, sources said. They were taken to a hospital with a minor injury.

A third officer was treated at the scene for a minor injury that did not appear to be related to the shooting, police.

The suspect’s gun was recovered at the scene, police said.

“Our ATF partners on the scene assisting with processing the weapon and tracing its origin,” Smith said.

The shooting scene is about two blocks south of the Hillcrest Recreation Center, not far from the border with Maryland. The response and investigation are still in the early stages.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.

The man has been identified as Michael McKinney, 34, of Northeast, D.C.

The first shooting happened in the 5000 block of Ivory Walters Lane SE, where police found the teenage victim just before 3 p.m.

He had been shot in the lower right leg, but is currently in stable condition, according to authorities.

D.C. police did not provide information on a potential suspect in the shooting.

At about 3:50 p.m., authorities found McKinney shot in the 1200 block of Brentwood Road NE. 

He was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and later died, police said.

Police are searching for the shooter.

More information on the motive of either shooting was not provided.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

CORRECTION (Sept. 17, 2023 at 7:48 p.m. EST): A previous version of this article said the crime happened on the wrong day. The shootings happened on Sunday, Sept. 17.

Gregory Gibson was sentenced in D.C. Superior Court for the unprovoked attack against the owner of the Valor Brewpub, a restaurant on Barracks Row in Southeast. Prosecutors had asked for 18 months.

The victim, Gaynor Jablonski, says the sentence was too light but it was more than he’d expected.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Jablonski said. “I honestly thought walking into this, that he would get 30 days or probation.”

The attack was captured on surveillance video, and the disturbing footage left even the judge asking why this happened. The video shows Gibson, who was working as a DoorDash driver, enter the Valor Brewpub to pick up an order. But prosecutors say he refused to show a code on his phone, and the situation escalated.

“He walked in there in a bad mood, looking for a reason to be angry, and you know, then he became irrational and he just snapped,” Jablonski said.

The video shows Gibson pull a gun from his pants and point it before he attacks Jablonski, who was sitting down. Jablonski’s 4-year-old son was sitting right next to him at the time.

Gibson has a son the same age.

Jablonski’s son is still traumatized.

“He’ll also tell me, if I tell him I’m going to work, he’ll say, ‘Be safe.’ It’s cute and sad at the same time,” Jablonski said. “A 4, 5-year-old has to worry about his dad going to work because of what he saw.”

Prosecutors described the attack as sudden, extreme and violent.

After the attack, the video shows Gibson frantically looking for his gun, but a staffer had grabbed it when it fell on the floor.

Prosecutors say the attack stemmed from a DoorDash order mix-up. The assistant U.S. attorney argued, “He should have known how to handle a minor bump in the road of life.”

Claudine Harrison, Gibson’s attorney, says her client has a Master’s degree, is a teacher and had dreamed of being an HBCU president someday. Now, with these attempted assault and gun charges on his record, he can’t even be a DoorDash driver anymore.

She said that’s punishment enough, and argued Gibson would be an ideal candidate for probation.

“There is no excuse,” she said. “He gets it.”

Jablonski asked: “If you’re educated and sophisticated and driven enough to want to be a university president, why would you bring a loaded 9mm on your DoorDash route?”

Gibson apologized, saying he’d been under a lot of stress and pressure.

“I am deeply remorseful to Mr. Jablonski, his son and his establishment,” he said.

The judge described the attack as illogical and said there’s a risk of it happening again. She ordered Gibson to undergo anger management treatment.

Gibson will have to register as a gun offender within 48 hours after his release from jail.

The store located at 1535 Alabama Ave SE is one of the only full-service grocery stores east of the Anacostia River in Ward 8. Trayon White, who represents Ward 8, warned at a press conference in August that shoplifting may cause the store to close its doors. 

“We’re going to work with Giant to keep this open!” White told residents in August.

In a statement, Giant said it plans to remove national brand health and beauty care items and replace them with private label brands where possible. The new policy aims to reduce “unprecedented levels” of theft and make the store safer for shoppers and employees. 

“None of the tactics we deploy is the ultimate solution to the problem we face, but we continue to invest in efforts that will improve safety for our associates and customers and reduce theft,” part of the statement read.

One customer reacted to the changes coming to the grocery store. 

“I know like there’s some violence that happens around here, but it’s usually confined to a couple of blocks,” a shopper said. “They’ve had police in the front of the store for a long time.”

Employees who are trained in asset protection will also greet customers coming into the store and check receipts as shoppers exit, according to Giant.

If this location were to close, the next closest grocery store would be the Safeway nearly two miles away in Ward 7.

Giant previously told News4 they do not currently have plans to close the store.

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The nonprofit’s urban farm and the Capital Area Food Bank are teaming up to host monthly fresh-food giveaways on Valley Avenue SE. The first food distribution will be on Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. About 200 boxes of fresh produce will be available on a first come first serve basis.

“This food is going to end up in the hands or in the bellies of someone who really needs it,” Kenneth Bridgers, a farm manager at The Well said.

The farm has been growing a wide variety of produce for months. Now, they are excited to share the fruits of their labor with the community.

“I’m truly thankful to be from this community and to be able to share produce and food, relationships, smiles, love. It’s been a joy,” Bridgers said.

Both The Well at Oxon Run and the partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank are new. But DC Greens has supplied healthy options for low-income residents for years.

About half of the food pantry’s clients often don’t have access to fresh produce, according to program organizers.

“To be able to give people things that I’ve worked on with my own hands, it really feels special and fulfilling and different,” Wesley Mahmud, a farm manager at The Well said.

DC Greens also works with other nonprofits and the District to offer produce prescriptions, a citywide program offering money for fresh produce to people with diet-related illnesses like diabetes or hypertension.

“So, the idea is that this is preventative health. People want to eat fresh food [but] it’s not accessible, it’s too expensive.” Louisa Furstenberg-Beckman, DC Greens produce prescription program manager said.

DC Greens knows it can’t feed everyone, Bridgers said, but he believes the partnership will allow them to expand their reach in the community and draw people into the urban agriculture space.

“We have produce here that’s grown here for you, right now,” Mahmud said.

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Riverkeeper Trey Sherard uses family fun as bait to introduce Washingtonians to the river while educating them on the its resources.

“We get to do this public health education piece, which is that it’s not really safe to eat the fish yet,” Sherard said.

D.C. residents will have to wait a while before using the river’s fish in their ceviche dishes or swimming in its waters.

In order to make the river swimmable, “We have to just stop putting poop in the water,” Sherard said. “That simple.”

A lawsuit filed against the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and DC Water pushed the institutions to develop engineering projects that have improved the river’s condition, according to Sherard.

“So, it is already swimmable here some days, although it’s not legal yet,” Sherard said.

In relation to the fishing aspect, the toxic chemicals “get in the ground, then they get in the worms, and they get in the small fish and then the medium fish, the big fish. And every time they go up the food chain, the problem gets a little bit more magnified and a little bit worse,” Sherard said.

Washingtonians under 16 and over 65 don’t need a fishing license. Otherwise, the license costs $10 and $13 for non-District residents. To learn more on how to get a fishing license, you can access the Department of Energy and Environment’s website

Friday Night Fishing runs each Friday through the end of August. Click here to sign up.

The victim was treated at a hospital and was in stable condition, police said.

Officers responded to an apartment building in the 3000 block of 30th Street SE at about 9 p.m. and found the girl shot in a bedroom, D.C. police said. The location is north of Suitland Parkway, near the D.C.-Maryland line.

Detectives believe the shooter meant to target someone on the street, not the child inside.

“It’s appalling. It’s devastating to know that she was in her home and shot, a 12-year-old victim, any victim,” D.C. police Cmdr. Lashay Makal said “But we’re asking — I repeat my message from earlier — we’re asking people, anybody, not just information in reference to this case, but we definitely need to get these guns off the street. So, anyone with any information in reference to illegal firearms, please contact us.”

Police said they have a person of interest in custody and recovered a weapon. They are asking anyone with potentially relevant information to come forward.

Violent crime is up in D.C. by 37% this year so far, with 2,175 reports last year and 2,982 this year, crime statistics show.

The District’s next police chief, Pamela Smith, who Mayor Muriel Bowser named last week, said her top priority is to drive down crime.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.

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He believes the driver of the car that hit the 24-year-old as he was riding his moped along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE on July 19 will hurt or kill someone else’s loved one if they are not stopped.

“He has so much damage to his body–he has broken bones all over his body–there’s no way  that driver even touched the brake,” Wayne Burrell said.

Marcellus Burrell was about to start a new job. In January, he became a father. 

Now, Wayne Burrell believes that in the hospital bed, unconscious, his son is fighting to survive for that precious baby boy.

“My son is still in critical condition. He has a long fight to go. Hopefully not, but at one time they were saying that his left leg and his left hand may need to be amputated,” his father said. 

As his family keeps vigil at the hospital, they feel helpless about so much. But there’s one thing they’re asking of the community: did someone see the Silver Mercedes that hit Marcellus Burrell in the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE at about 6:30 p.m. on July 19? Does anyone suspect they know the person who did this? 

“I’m asking anyone, please, if you know who it was that did it, or if you could provide any information to the police officers, please let them know,” Wayne Burrell said.  

Madison Jones was headed home from her job in Navy Yard on June 8 when a driver ran a red light and hit the car in which she was a passenger. She was thrown from the car.

Police say two people ran from the scene of the crash. So far, one person is sought: 30-year-old Andre Maurice Johnson.

“It’s disturbing to me that there is no remorse shown for my daughter’s life that has been lost,” Jones’ mother, Sherese Jones, said, speaking only with News4. “To know that they’re still out here at large, just living their life.”

Jones was getting a ride home from work from her boyfriend and his mother inside a Ford Focus headed north on 11th Street SE. They were at Pennsylvania Avenue and had a green light when the driver of a 2017 Mercedes-Benz C300 that was headed east hit the driver’s side at about 12:25 a.m., police said.

Jones was ejected from the back seat. The two people in the Mercedes got out and ran. DC Fire and EMS arrived and found that Jones had died. Her boyfriend and his mother were taken to hospitals and later released.

Jones would have turned 19 on July 15, her mother said. She played violin and guitar and taught herself how to do makeup.

“Madison was just a very super-intelligent, blessed young lady,” her mother said.

She has hung up photos of the suspect and said she believes police will find him.

“I have tremendous faith in the department, that they’ll do what’s needed to be done to bring my daughter justice,” Sherese Jones said.

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. A reward up to $10,000 is available.

The man who died was found in the Brookland neighborhood, about half a block away from Catholic University, shortly before 10 p.m.

Officers were called for a reported shooting and found a victim at Seventh and Monroe Streets NE who had been shot multiple times. The victim was unresponsive and died from his injuries.

Authorities have identified him as 44-year-old Robert Lavender of Southeast D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department said.

It’s not clear what led up to the shooting. After an initial investigation, police do not believe the shooting was connected to the university.

A little more than an hour later, about 11:15 p.m., officers were called to another shooting, this one in the 1200 block of Barnaby Terrace SE.

Three men and a teenage boy were found shot and were conscious and breathing, according to police. At least two of the victims were in critical condition and were airlifted to a hospital by a U.S. Park Police medevac helicopter.

Dozens of shell casings littered the ground near Barnaby Terrace after the shooting. A parked car was damaged where a bullet pierced the windshield.

Police are looking for a sedan with heavily tinted windows last seen leaving the scene.

‘Something needs to be done’

It’s been a difficult month at Catholic University. In addition to Monday night’s deadly shooting, a teacher visiting D.C. from Kentucky was killed on campus during an attempted robbery two weeks ago. The suspected shooter in that case was arrested and is now being held in jail.

Residents walking near the university said people should be worried about gun violence across the District.

“It’s bad that it happened here, but it shouldn’t be like ‘Oh, like this is a nice area,'” the resident said. “Something needs to be done; things already needed to be done.”

Catholic University put out a statement Tuesday, calling the recent increase in violent crime a “critical issue.”

The school says it’s requested a meeting with the D.C. police department to talk about how to tackle the problem.

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New police chief: top priority is to ‘drive down crime’

D.C. swore in Pamela Smith as the new police chief on Monday. She said her top priority is to “drive down crime” as the District grapples with gun violence.

One D.C. resident said she would like the chief to invest in alternative responses to violence including mental health services.

“Youth violence is not a good thing, but some of the kids are doing that because they are traumatized, and they do not know how else to respond to situations,” a resident said.

Another resident said she would like to see the new chief enforce a youth curfew to lower violence.

“Paddywagon, youth services division, your parents will have to come and get you,” the resident said. “That should be brought back, and maybe it will stop some of the teen violence, the cars getting stolen and just everything in general.”

D.C.’s curfew law has been around since 1995, but enforcement varies. During the summer, anyone under the age of 17 cannot be out between midnight and 6 a.m.

Smith has over 20 years of experience at the U.S. Park Police where she retired as chief. She spent the last 14 months at the Metropolitan Police Department as the chief equity officer and assistant chief of the Homeland Security Bureau.

“I’ve had the opportunity to really sit and watch our assistant chiefs fight crime, during our crime briefings,” Smith told News4’s Mark Segraves. “I mean, they are really looking at initiatives and strategies in order to combat crime.”

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Thaniyyah Veney, 32, of Southeast D.C., was arrested and charged with DUI, reckless driving, leaving after colliding, aggravated assault and assault with a dangerous weapon, police said in an update Sunday.

A home surveillance camera captured the sound of a woman repeatedly screaming “Oh my God!” and “I’m going to jail!”

The little girl and her dad were walking on a sidewalk in the 3200 block Fourth St SE, headed to the pool at about 1 p.m., when a silver Ford sedan plowed into them. The child was trapped under the car.

“We were trying to pull her out from underneath. She was just laying here,” said a neighbor who ran outside to try to help.

A D.C. Fire and EMS crew set a ladder onto folded fire hoses to create enough leverage to lift the car off the child. She was rushed to Children’s National hospital by helicopter as her father was taken to another hospital by ambulance with less serious injuries. A man’s shoe and a backpack could be seen near the car.

The child is 5 years old and the crash fractured her skull, broke her shoulder and broke her hip, Council Member Trayon White, who represents the area, said online. She’s expected to survive, he said.

According to the initial investigation, Veney ran a stop sign at Fourth and Savannah streets SE, hit a parked car on Fourth Street, swerved, hopped a curb and hit the child and her father. She then hit a man sitting on a porch. The car finally came to rest on the front steps of a home. The man on the porch was able to get away uninjured, neighbors said.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Veney has a lawyer.

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

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The crash was reported just after 1 p.m. and happened on the 3200 block of 4th Street SE, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. 

The girl and her father were walking down the street, on their way to the pool, when the driver of a Ford went off the road, striking the man and pinning the little girl. The driver also hit a parked and occupied vehicle as well as a home, authorities and neighbors said. 

Both victims were critically injured. The girl was airlifted to Children’s National Hospital and an ambulance took the man to a hospital.

Officers found the suspect in a nearby alley.

In Ring camera video, a distressed person can be seen at the scene wailing. “Oh my God… I’m going to jail,” they scream at one point.

Hours after the crash, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White posted on social media that the 5-year-old victim suffered a broken shoulder, hip and fractured skull, but is expected to recover. 

Her father is also in stable condition, according to White.

D.C. police confirmed in an update Sunday that Thaniyyah Veney, 32, of Southeast D.C., was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, leaving after colliding and assault.  

It is unclear why the car came off the road.

Police identified the victim as Jaylin Osborne, of Southeast D.C. The founder and CEO of his school said he was a student at Digital Pioneers Academy.

Local

Someone reported hearing gunshots in the 2600 block of Stanton Road SE near the corner of Douglass Road at about 10:30 p.m., according to a Metropolitan Police Department release. 

Police found Osborne unresponsive in the street with multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to the hospital with critical injuries and underwent surgery. He later died from his injuries, police said.

“Jaylin was a bright student and dedicated friend and big brother. He was a hard working and curious scholar who was seen as a leader among his classmates. He had hoped to join the DPA football team in the fall,” CEO Mashea M. Ashton said in a letter to the school community.

The teen is the fourth Digital Pioneers Academy student to die this school year due to gun violence.

“Right now, the city is not safe, and violence usually increases in the summer when young people are out unsupervised.
That’s why I’m making the recommendation that you keep your children indoors in the evening and in supervised activities during the day,” Ashton went on to stay.

Officers said it was unclear if the teen was the intended target. 

Police are asking for witnesses or anyone with home surveillance cameras in the area to call them at 202-727-9099. A reward of up to $25,000 is available.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates. 

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A man was convicted on Friday of killing her, though her body has never been found.

Isaac Moye was found guilty of second-degree murder after jurors began deliberating late Wednesday afternoon.

Harris’ mother, Valencia Harris, grinned and whooped with joy as she left court.

“All I could think was, ’Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God. Thank you, Lord,'” she told News4.

“There are no words to sum up having to turn a predator into my prey. Because I told him, ‘You made my daughter your prey and now you are mine.’ And I meant every word then and I still mean it now. So here we go: Guilty! Guilty!” Valencia Harris said.

In October 2010, Harris disappeared from her new apartment in the 2400 block of Hartford Street SE. Her family said she never would have left her two children. The family feared she had been harmed when they saw she left her glasses behind; she was legally blind.

One of Harris’ sons, then 11 years old, said in 2016 that he remembered his mother putting him to bed the night she disappeared.

“The last thing I remember from her was her telling me good night and that everything was going to be OK,” he said.

Prosecutors laid out a circumstantial case against Moye. He was an acquaintance of Harris and had been wearing a GPS ankle bracelet that placed him in her apartment for hours before she disappeared. He went to a wooded area in D.C. after leaving her home.

Prosecutors said Harris spent hours on the phone with her boyfriend in front of Moye and that Moye was jealous.

“He meant to punish her for not choosing him. She paid with her life,” a lawyer said.

A former cell mate of Moye’s told authorities that Moye had told him about a missing girl. He reportedly said officials would never find her because he did it “the right way.”

Moye’s defense attorney argued that prosecutors did not prove Moye was involved in Harris’ disappearance and did not present any evidence on how she may have been killed. The lawyer said police botched the investigation and failed to look into other possible suspects or gather critical evidence such as cellphone records. He argued police arrested the wrong man.

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Moye was arrested in December 2020 and charged with second-degree murder.

Derrick Butler was in court supporting the family earlier this month. The body of his sister, Pam Butler, was never found but prosecutors were successful in getting a conviction.

“These guys or people that’s doing these things have got in their heads ‘No body, no case, no body, no evidence.’ Well, D.C. is leading the pack in taking people to court where they don’t have bodies,” he said.

In October, a man was convicted in the disappearance of Olga Ooro, who vanished from her D.C. apartment in July 2020. Her body also has never been found.

CORRECTION (June 23, 2023 3:50 p.m. ET): A previous version of this story said Harris had three children; she had two.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Demarcos Pinckney, 15, and Kevin Mason, 17, were the victims of a shooting on Langston Place SE, police said.

Pinckney finished ninth grade at Digital Pioneers Academy a week earlier.

“Our heart aches with the news of the passing of Demarcos Pinckney. Our thoughts and condolences are with the Pinckney family,” the school’s founder said in a statement.

The 15-year-old was a “bright and curious” student and a talented athlete who was on the school’s new football team, the statement said, adding, “We will miss him dearly.”

Information on Mason was not immediately available. Family members provided photos but were not ready to speak the day after the killings.

Pinckney was the third Digital Pioneers Academy student to be shot and killed this school year. Teacher Keenan Anderson also died, after police in Venice, California, used a stun gun against him. Grief counselors were set to be available at the school on Tuesday.

As of midday Tuesday, police had not announced any arrests or suspects in the shooting that killed Pinckney and Mason. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. A reward of up to $50,000 is offered.

On Langston Place on Monday evening, additional officers were on patrol. A bullet hole could be seen in a window of a nearby apartment building.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Crews responded to a house on fire in the 2100 block of 13th Street SE in Anacostia at about 1 a.m., D.C. Fire and EMS said.

The fire was on the rear patio of the two-story home and then spread to neighboring houses.

Photos show bright orange flames that lit up the night. The back of the house was charred and damaged by the flames.

Firefighters used fire hoses to put out visible fire and hotspots.

No one was injured.

Five people and two pets are displaced.

The cause of the fire was not immediately released.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.

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Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 2600 block of Sheridan Road just before 1 a.m. and found a male victim with multiple gunshot wounds, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a release.

The victim, Stephon Shreeves, 14, of Southeast D.C. died at the scene.

Neighbors told News4 that they were heartbroken to hear what happened.

“They shootin’ all over. They really gotta do something about these guns,” neighbor Antoinette Harshaw said. “It’s a shame. You know, that’s somebody’s baby.”

Police records show that at least eight kids have been shot and killed so far this year in the District.

“Just to hear another youth being killed in the community is devastating more than anything. For it to be right here, I feel for the children of this community, I really do,” neighbor Brittany Osazuwa said.

In 2019, the same stretch of Sheridan Road SE was also the scene of another deadly shooting, which killed 30-year-old Taboris Johnson. It’s part of why neighbors said they try to limit their time outside.

“I’m real careful,” Harshaw said. “I come out and go right back in, do what I gotta do.”

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that can lead to an arrest. They can be reached by calling 202-727-9099 or texting 50411.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.

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The victim was attacked on Van Street SE, just north of Nationals Park, after 3 a.m. Thursday, a police report says. Two people pushed him to the ground and pointed a handgun at him. He was able to run away without being robbed.

Police released surveillance images of the assailants’ car.

Rep. Brad Finstad, who represents Minnesota’s 1st congressional district, said Friday that the staffer works in his office and will be OK.

“Thankfully, he will be able to make a full recovery and the extent of his physical injuries was minor,” Finstad said in a statement.

The staffer attended the Congressional Baseball Game on Wednesday evening, the congressman said.

Police categorized the reported crime as an assault with the intent to commit robbery.

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Assaults with a dangerous weapon are up by 5% this year, from 623 to 652 reported crimes, District crime statistics show. Robberies are up 31%, from 987 to 1,295 reports.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Moss, a 31-year-old Southeast D.C. resident, was found dead in a wooded area of Waldorf, Maryland, her stepmother and a law enforcement source familiar with the case said.

Her survivors include her 4-year-old son.

What happened to Moss is still a mystery, her stepmother, Gloria Hammond, told News4 on Sunday. She described her as full of life.

“Danielle was so vibrant. Oh my goodness, she was a beautiful, beautiful personality. Rapping, she loved to dance. I talked to Danielle every day, every day. She was supposed to come over to have dinner with us, but she never made it,” Hammond said.

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Moss was last seen eight weeks earlier, at a family gathering on April 8. A missing persons flyer from D.C. police said she was last seen in the 2300 block of Q Street SE.

A murder investigation is underway, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Monday.

Someone who was walking near power lines saw “what appeared to be a partially covered body” on Holly Spring Drive, the sheriff’s office said. Officers responded at about 6:40 p.m. Friday.

Moss’ death was ruled a homicide. Her cause of death was not immediately released, nor were any additional details. The investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said.

Hammond said police told her they are speaking with a person of interest.

Moss was a devoted mother who would never choose to leave her son, the child’s father previously said. He and the little boy were on vacation when Moss went missing. He said he sent her photos from their trip but she never responded.

“She has family, friends – I mean, everybody loves her. So I mean, it’s devastating,” Andre Hudson said.

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.

The scholars were honored Wednesday with its “Launch to College” ceremony. The national organization makes a 10-year commitment to low-income and first-generation students as ninth graders, helping them get into college and start their careers.

“You can’t be what you don’t see, and so make sure that people see you,” a speaker said at the ceremony.

The program helped student Dynasty Ball become a first-generation college student, line up scholarships and prepare for her fall semester at Salisbury University.

“It just really helped us become better people,” Ball said. “Meet a whole just different world, like, I went to internships, I found out what I wanted to do when I grow up. I want to be a real estate broker.”

Ball is one of over two dozen seniors from D.C. pursuing higher education due to the program. The students had big smiles as they held shirts from their respective colleges at the ceremony.

The room was also filled with proud family members, teachers and mentors, including College Track Site Director Latisha Chisholm.

“We’re so excited. We’re so excited for them and for their families,” Chisholm said.

She has met with the students every week since they started the program in 2020.

“They had to figure out virtual programming with us. They had to transition back from virtual programming to in-person. They had to deal with their own responses to the pandemic and life and figure out how to get through high school,” Chisholm said.

Chisholm had one last reminder for the students and families heading into graduation season and summer.

“You can do anything that you dream of, and so we’re excited for what happens next,” Chisholm said.

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The woman was taken into custody after what police described as an arson.

Police and firefighters were dispatched to the 3900 block of Fourth Street SE at about 6:20 p.m. Monday. When they arrived, they found a car on fire with a man, woman and two young children of about 1 to 3 years inside.

The man was in critical condition, and the woman and two children had minor injuries.

The name of the woman taken into custody was not immediately released, nor was a potential motive.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

The victim was shot in the 3400 block of Stanton Road SE at around 8:05 a.m., police said. 

Thirty-six-year-old Little Price Jr., of Bladensburg, Maryland, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. 

It is unclear what led to the gunfire, and police did not provide more information on a search for the suspect. 

D.C. police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099 or text 50411 anonymously.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

A bullet pierced through the walls of an apartment before 4:40 a.m. The home is in the 2600 block of Naylor Road SE, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

The child was hit in the leg. She was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.

Police do not believe she was the intended target. They continue to investigate the shooting.

Chief of Police Robert Contee spoke emotionally about the shooting at a news conference Monday morning.

“A bullet from someone firing shots outside goes through the window at four o’clock this morning, of a 12-year-old sleeping in her bed, and strikes her in the leg. It is unacceptable,” he said.

The shooting occurred hours after a 10-year-old girl was seriously hurt after she was hit by a stray bullet while riding in a car with her family in Northeast D.C. Police continue to search for the shooter.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed new safety legislation on Monday.

As of May 11, 43 juveniles had been shot in D.C. That’s nearly double the number of young people who were shot last year, and three times as many as at the same point in 2021.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.