Mount Pleasant DC Forum

[T Hsu]

A number of us on the 3300 block of 18th Street were awakened around 3:30 am this morning when a light-colored (beige? gold?) sedan began speeding around the block, tires screeching. A man was yelling out of his car, apparently trying to find someone. Some of my neighbors reported hearing 3 gunshots in the alleyway between Newton and Monroe (I heard loud noises, but couldn't identify them as gunshots), and said that the cars racing around the block were seeking retaliation. There was at least one other car speeding up and down the street -- I saw a light blue sedan with a sunroof coming out of the alleyway, while others reported seeing a burgundy car.

One neighbor reported suspicious activity in the Bancroft playground. Others told me that the garage near where the alley meets 18th is a frequent site for drug activity. The police responded very quickly to our calls to 911, which resulted in about 3 MPD cars and an unmarked police car circulating around the neighborhood until about 5 am. They identified themselves as the "Tactical Unit." We saw the police make one stop of a light-colored sedan, but after patting down the driver and searching the car, they apparently determined that it was not the car involved in the chase. I noticed that the police spent some time behind Bancroft, and later heard sirens coming from the direction of Columbia Heights.

We are all obviously concerned about this incident, and I for one would like to know what happened. Was someone injured in the shooting? Was this drug-related? Was anyone apprehended? If you can shed some light on the incident, we might be able to sleep easier...thanks!

[Hallie]

We also heard the gunshots (?), the yelling, and the car screeching around the neighborhood - but had the added scare of listening to the people running down the path that runs along our apartment building right after the gunfire(from the alley b/t Newton and Monroe to Newton Street).

Any follow-up would be appreciated!

[Heidi]

I am at 18th and Newton, and also heard the gunshots, although they sounded as if they were coming from the intersection.

Several minutes after that, I saw two young men walking down Newton towards 18th Street and one said to the other "Better hurry up, the law's coming." Thankfully, it did.

[Captain Ralph W. McLean,]

My apologies for taking so long to get back to you. I haven't been able to access the internet from work since late last week, and I don't believe that I have received any e-mail from outside the department.

Anyway, I will check into this and try to get the whole story in the next couple of days. Our stats don't show any homicides, shootings, or assaults with a gun in the Mt. Pleasant area that I can associate with this incident. I will get ahold of one of the officers that was on the scene so that I can give you the complete story. Thanks to all of you for writing.

[T Hsu]

We've also noticed a sudden rise in the number of young men hanging out (more like waiting and watching) on nearby corners and "patrolling" the streets by bike. Maybe all the activity is due to the warm weather, and maybe we're overreacting, but in light of the incident over the weekend it's a little disconcerting -- especially since we don't know who was involved and why. I thought I'd bring it to your attention -- if there is some sort of retaliation brewing, I'd hate for anyone in the neighborhood to get caught in the crossfire.

[Captain Ralph W. McLean,]

I have checked the crime stats for Mount Pleasant and talked to the officers who were working in the Tactical Unit on the night of this incident. Here is what I found out:

We are assuming that the incident involved a dispute between two groups of men. The source of the dispute is unknown. We have no reported crimes associated with the incident, i.e., no one showed up at any of the local hospitals with a gunshot injury, nor could I find any police reports for damage that might have been done by means of gunshots.

The officers that came into the area that night stopped at least three vehicles. There was nothing to indicate that any of the vehicles stopped were involved in this incident.

Some PSA 410 officers have been working in casual clothes since the week after this incident, and have made several arrests. One of them noteworthy... See my posting for today's date in reference to the robbery apprhension.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but that's all we really know....