Trump's crackdown on Washington, D.C., has Massachusetts roots
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TODAY'S STARTING POINT
In a speech at the White House this week, President Trump announced he would federalize the police in Washington, D.C. for 30 days and deploy the National Guard to deal with crime, homelessness, and graffiti in the city. Trump called it 'a situation of complete and total lawlessness' and listed a litany of recent violent crimes there.
Two of his examples involved people with ties to Massachusetts. One was the alleged assault last week of a 19-year-old Northeastern student who formerly worked in Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The other was the fatal shooting of a UMass Amherst student who was interning on Capitol Hill.
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Yet crime in D.C. has fallen sharply in recent years, even as it remains high compared to most US cities. Here's what we know.
An assault
A year ago, Edward Coristine was a recent high school graduate who
At around 3 a.m. on
Sunday, Aug. 3, police said about 10 teenagers attempted to carjack Coristine and his girlfriend in D.C.'s Logan Circle neighborhood. They allegedly attacked and injured Coristine before fleeing. Police arrested two 15-year-olds from Maryland and are holding them in juvenile detention.
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Trump criticized D.C. crime during the 2024 campaign and pledged to place the city under federal control if elected. But Coristine's assault appears to have spurred him to act. Last week, Trump posted an image of a shirtless and bloodied young man — apparently Coristine — and pledged to 'exert my powers.' The White House says Trump may award Coristine the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor.
A shooting
At around 10:30 pm on June 30, a group of people jumped out of a car near the intersection of D.C.'s 7th and M streets and opened fire.
Police say that Eric Tarpinian‑Jachym, a rising senior at UMass and congressional intern out for a late-night snack, wasn't their intended target. But the 21-year-old Granby native was struck and later died at a hospital. Police recovered the car they believe the shooters used and
Tarpinian‑Jachym had been interning for a Republican congressman from Kansas. In an interview yesterday with
The context
Violent crime in D.C. spiked during the pandemic but has fallen since,
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The declines reflect a national trend. Homicides and shootings in Boston, for example,
Yet Trump also says he wants to deploy the National Guard to address crime in New York and Los Angeles, which have even lower violent crime rates. Nationwide, the US is
Read more:
By law, Trump can control D.C.'s police for 30 days. He pledged yesterday
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6 Across:
87°
POINTS OF INTEREST
Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins in 2021.
Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
Steven Tompkins:
The Suffolk County sheriff, facing federal extortion charges, resigned from
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Trump vs. Harvard:
As the school nears a settlement with the administration, some students and faculty
Market Basket:
Some
his lieutenants, corporate employees said, rebutting
claims of a turbulent and hostile environment.
Michael Felger:
After listeners criticized the radio host for missing Monday's Sports Hub broadcast, he said he'd been airlifted to a hospital
Senior care:
Massachusetts residents have a range of care options for older adults, but cost, eligibility, and availability can complicate finding the right fit.
Foreign aid:
An appeals court let the Trump administration suspend or end billions in federal aid that Congress approved, including for global HIV/AIDS programs. (
Trump BLS nominee:
E.J. Antoni, Trump's controversial pick to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was in the crowd outside the Capitol on Jan. 6. The White House says he was a 'bystander' who wandered over after seeing news of the attack. (
Kennedy Center honors:
Trump will host this year's awards. Honorees will include the band Kiss, Sylvester Stallone, and Gloria Gaynor, a born-again Christian whose biggest hit
Russia-Ukraine war:
Trump threatened 'very severe consequences' for Russia if Vladimir Putin isn't serious about peace at their planned summit in Alaska tomorrow. Trump, who spoke with Ukraine's president yesterday, didn't say what the consequences would be. (
Hurricane watch:
Tropical Storm Erin, which formed on Monday in the Atlantic Ocean, is on track to strengthen into the season's first hurricane by tomorrow.
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BESIDE THE POINT
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In the lab:
Does this cute, slimy salamander hold the key to regenerating human limbs? A scientist in Bar Harbor has
⚾ Batter up:
Braintree American will play its first game
🤿 No swimsuit required:
On your next trip, try 'land snorkeling' — a mindset that invites travelers to explore cities and neighborhoods with the same curiosity and awareness they bring to floating through a coral reef. (
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Eye of the beholder:
According to the comedian Conan O'Brien and now an unauthorized sign nearby, Boston's Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge looks like
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See no evil:
Don't snoop through your partner's phone. Instead, learn to sleuth. (
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Connections:
For this writer's son with autism, making conversation is a challenge.
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
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