Latest news with #PamelaA.Smith
Washington Post
03-06-2025
- General
- Washington Post
‘I want my child back': Surge in D.C. shootings left 20 dead in May
A 19-year-old man about to start online college courses was gunned down on a Southeast Washington street; another man, 31, attending an elementary school track meet, was fatally shot on a Northeast sidewalk; and another, 59, eating dinner in his Northwest apartment, was hit by a stray bullet that came through a window. His mother walked in and found him slumped at a table, dead. They were among 20 people slain in the District in May, all by gunfire, in a surge of violence that brought the city's 2025 homicide toll to 69 as of Saturday, the last day of the month. After a long stretch in which the pace of killings in D.C. was lower than in 2024, the spike in violence last month meant that the body count as of May 31 nearly equaled the District's 73 homicides in the first five months of last year. 'We are seeing far too many interpersonal conflicts being settled with guns,' D.C. Police Chief Pamela A. Smith said at a news conference in late May, echoing a refrain heard from many of her predecessors during periods of increased shootings in the past. 'We're asking: Put the guns down. This is not the way to resolve disputes.' The May violence, including 18 killing in 18 days, also claimed the lives of Israeli Embassy employees Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, who were about to become engaged. Moments after leaving a reception at the Capital Jewish Museum, authorities and witnesses said, the two were shot by a gunman who shouted, 'Free Palestine!' The surge in homicides came as the District readied to host WorldPride, the largest LGBTQ+ festival in the world, which organizers anticipate will bring millions of visitors to the nation's capital. In addition, a huge military parade and related events are scheduled for June 14 to commemorate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. 'D.C. is no stranger to high-profile gatherings, and we have a proven track record of hosting them safely and successfully, and this year will be no different,' Smith said. 'But we all know that public safety is a shared responsibility.' Overall, violent crime was down 22 percent citywide compared with last year, when it was already at a 30-year-low, according to D.C. police and Justice Department data. Last year and this year represent a reversal from 2023, which saw a generational spike in violence. In a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll, half of D.C. residents said crime is an 'extremely serious' or 'very serious' problem in the city, but that was down from 65 percent last year and 56 percent in 2023. In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a task force on crime prevention and maximizing immigration enforcement in the District after repeatedly criticizing the city's handling of public safety. Jay Brown, an activist who lives in Ward 7 and runs a nonprofit counseling program called Community Shoulders, said Smith is minimizing the concerns of the communities most affected by violence by attributing the shootings to 'interpersonal disputes' — as though they were isolated incidents rather than evidence of a broader, deeper problem plaguing the city. And while the killings of Milgrim and Lischinsky sparked outrage around the world, Brown said, it is frustrating to him and others that everyday gun violence in the District, which tears apart families and communities, rarely receives wide or sustained attention. 'You don't get that from when these things happen across the river,' Brown said, referring to poor neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. 'That's the message I hear, like, don't concern yourself with this. … These acts of violence are not a concern for the public.' Kian-Wayne Magruder, 31, of Temple Hills, Maryland, went to the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association's elementary school track and field championships on May 20 to cheer on his girlfriend's son — and was fatally shot just steps from where hundreds of children were sitting in bleachers. Magruder was walking near the city's former Spingarn High School, where the competition was being held, when three men jumped out of a car just before 2 p.m. and at least one of them opened fire, Smith said at a news conference. The attackers fled, and the vehicle they used was later found in flames in the Fort Lincoln neighborhood. There have been no arrests in the shooting. Magruder's mother, LaKia Magruder, remembered her son as 'an involved father of two beautiful children' and a true 'family man' who lived a simple life. 'My son worked, worked out and spent time with his family,' she said. 'He always had a smile for you and a positive word.' He was an electrician apprentice, she said, but his true passion was physical fitness. She said he was building a career as a personal trainer. 'Kian-Wayne was my only child,' his mother said. 'He will definitely be missed by his family near and far. We must stop the senseless killings that continue to devastate our Black communities. Every life lost is a wound to our families, our neighborhoods and our future. The pain is real, the grief is deep and the cycle of violence must end.' Jamar Jackson, 19, the youngest of five sons, was fatally shot at about 10:20 p.m. on May 23 in the 4200 block of Fourth Street SE. The shooting also killed 16-year-old Royell Walker and injured a 14-year-old boy, police said. The shooting remains under investigation. Jackson liked to take care of everyone else, his mother, brothers and friends said. He encouraged one of his brothers to stay positive after he lost a job, and he motivated a friend to study for his driver's license test. One of his brothers said Jackson was a favorite uncle to his many nieces and nephews, always giving in when they asked for ice cream, candy and other treats. 'He wanted the best for everybody,' said his mother, Mesha Jackson. 'I miss my baby. I want my child back.' He was dating his high school girlfriend, JaNya Randolph, 20, who said Jackson kept encouraging her to dream big about what she wanted to do with her life. They went to prom together, and he wore an orange tie to match her dress, she said. Their three-year anniversary would have been Aug. 13. She said he would have bought her flowers, as in past years. He pushed himself, too. His mother said he was about to start online college courses in information technology. Randolph said Jackson hoped to become an entrepreneur with his own clothing brand. 'Jamar had a lot of plans,' she said. On the night of May 25, Jose Carcamo, 59, was eating dinner at a table in his bedroom when gunshots sounded in an alley behind his apartment building in the 1500 block of Ogden Street NW, police and family members said. Carcamo's mother was visiting from El Salvador for Mother's Day, said his cousin Jose Romero Carcamo. The mother, sitting in the living room, heard the gunshots and walked into the bedroom, where she found her son dead at the table. The cousin said Carcamo worked in construction and sent money back to El Salvador to support relatives there. He was planning to retire in five years and return to his native country, where he had been building a home for himself and his mother. 'He never had any problems,' the cousin said. 'He is working all his life for his mom. We don't have any answers. We don't know why, we don't know how, we don't know anything.'
USA Today
23-05-2025
- USA Today
14-year-old girl accidentally shoots self, dies while filming social media video
14-year-old girl accidentally shoots self, dies while filming social media video Show Caption Hide Caption Chromebook challenge prompts concern among schools Schools are taking precaution amid the dangerous 'Chromebook Challenge' circulating on social media where kids are destroying the laptops. Fox - Fox 29 A teenage girl in Washington, D.C., died after accidentally shooting herself while recording a video for social media, police said. The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPD) announced the 14-year-old girl's death, which occurred around 5:09 p.m. on May 21. After receiving reports of a shooting, MPD officers responded to the girl's residence in northeast Washington, D.C., according to the department. When officers arrived at the apartment, they found the girl inside suffering from a gunshot wound, police said. Although lifesaving measures were performed, the girl succumbed to her injuries, the department added. 'This is a devastating reminder of the dangers of weapons getting into the hands of young people in our city, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the decedent,' Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith said in a statement. 'Firearms are not toys or props and they must be properly secured in a place where they can only be accessed by lawful gun owners.' More news: Human remains found by hunter belong to missing Utah woman who disappeared in 2023 Was an adult in the home during the shooting? Police said their preliminary investigation indicates that the unidentified teen was handling a gun while recording her social media video when the firearm went off and struck her in the upper body. According to the department, multiple people, including at least one adult, were inside the apartment when the shooting happened. The gun used in the incident has been recovered, police said. How common are unintentional child gun deaths? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compiles data on unintentional child gun deaths. The most recent data released on the issue is from 2023. Data from that year shows that 143 people ages 19 and younger died from unintentional injury from a firearm. A 2023 study done by the CDC found that roughly three-quarters of unintentional child gun deaths between 2003 and 2021 involved a firearm that was stored loaded and unlocked. Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington adds security to religious institutions after killings outside Jewish museum
Law enforcement is increasing security around schools and religious institutions in Washington heading into the holiday weekend after an attack that killed two Israeli Embassy staffers. The plans for additional security measures emerged in a news conference with officials Thursday as the city reeled from the attack hours earlier in which a gunman opened fire on the young couple outside the Capital Jewish Museum. 'You will find us around our faith-based organizations,' said DC Metropolitan Police Department Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith. 'You will see an increased presence around our schools and places like the DC Jewish Community Center. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish community.' The suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, told police after the shooting that he wanted to 'free Palestine.' He faces federal charges that include two counts of murder for the deaths of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky. He is also facing felony firearms charges, said Jeanine Pirro, the interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Pirro said authorities are investigating the shooting as a hate crime and an act of terrorism, and may add additional charges. 'This is the kind of case that picks at old sores and old scars,' Pirro said. 'Because these kinds of cases remind us of what has happened in the past, that we can never and must never forget.' D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser earlier Thursday convened a meeting with the Mayor's Interfaith Council, speaking with local Jewish leaders, City Council members and the district's attorney general. 'Sadly, we have had practice standing together as a community to fight antisemitism both in hate speech and in hateful acts,' Bowser said. 'So in this moment we stand shoulder to shoulder as one community united in love but also committed to justice for this young couple.'
Politico
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Washington adds security to religious institutions after killings outside Jewish museum
Law enforcement is increasing security around schools and religious institutions in Washington heading into the holiday weekend after an attack that killed two Israeli Embassy staffers. The plans for additional security measures emerged in a news conference with officials Thursday as the city reeled from the attack hours earlier in which a gunman opened fire on the young couple outside the Capital Jewish Museum. 'You will find us around our faith-based organizations,' said DC Metropolitan Police Department Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith. 'You will see an increased presence around our schools and places like the DC Jewish Community Center. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish community.' The suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, told police after the shooting that he wanted to 'free Palestine.' He faces federal charges that include two counts of murder for the deaths of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky. He is also facing felony firearms charges, said Jeanine Pirro, the interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Pirro said authorities are investigating the shooting as a hate crime and an act of terrorism, and may add additional charges. 'This is the kind of case that picks at old sores and old scars,' Pirro said. 'Because these kinds of cases remind us of what has happened in the past, that we can never and must never forget.' D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser earlier Thursday convened a meeting with the Mayor's Interfaith Council, speaking with local Jewish leaders, City Council members and the district's attorney general. 'Sadly, we have had practice standing together as a community to fight antisemitism both in hate speech and in hateful acts,' Bowser said. 'So in this moment we stand shoulder to shoulder as one community united in love but also committed to justice for this young couple.'
22-05-2025
- Politics
Questions raised whether security adequate after shooting of Israeli Embassy staffers
After two Israeli Embassy staffers were shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum, questions were being raised Thursday about whether there was sufficient security at the event Wednesday nght. It is unclear whether the museum provided the type of security that experts ABC News spoke with said is routine, especially with diplomats and officials in attendance. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith confirmed during a news conference Thursday afternoon there were private security officers working the event but said neither on- or off-duty MPD officers were there. "In an act of horrific antisemitic violence, a gunman attacked our beloved community. This tragedy is devastating. Such acts of terror attempt to instill fear, silence voices and erase history -- but we refuse to let them succeed," Capital Jewish Museum Executive Director Beatrice Gurwitz said. "We are working to reopen the museum in the coming days, with all necessary security in place, so we can return to telling the story of Jewish Washington for thousands of visitors from around the world." Former acting Homeland Security Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis John Cohen, an ABC News contributor, said that even though the shooting of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim occurred close to the Washington FBI Field Office, "that shouldn't be confused as an increased security." "What this situation does illustrate is that we are in a period of heightened threat -- part of that threat is directed at the Jewish community -- and that facilities associated with the Jewish community, faith-based communities need to have put in place security measures to protect those people who are visiting those locations, whether it's for services or for educational activities or special events, such as the one that occurred last night," he said. Speaking to reporters outside the Capital Jewish Museum Thursday morning, Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged she did not know of the event's security posture before the shooting occurred. But when asked by ABC News if there had been a "a security failure" given the proximity of the FBI's Washington Field Office, Bondi denied any lapse in security. "I don't think anyone would have expected what happened last night," Bondi said. "They were in an event, a beautiful event. People were -- it was a dressy event. They were dressed up, they were all together and just celebrating. "But no, I think law enforcement were on the scene immediately because of that, and the great men and women of the FBI are doing an incredible job, as well as Metropolitan police," she added. "Our [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] agents were out here. Our U.S. Marshals were out here working hand in hand with the mayor and the police chief, who I cannot say enough good about right now." Former Deputy Special Agent in Charge Derek Meyer, of the Secret Service's Chicago Field Office, noted that "private entities with internal security operations often supplement their existing posture with extra security during special events or when they encounter a specific threat or concerns." "Those without existing security will typically hire security or off-duty law enforcement for major events, holidays, during times of civil unrest and when they learn of a direct threat," he added. "Typically, off-duty law enforcement officers operate under the licensing of a private security company, subject to specific regional statutes and regulations," Meyer said. "In this capacity, these officers are empowered to detain individuals whom they directly observe committing crimes or if they have reasonable grounds to believe a crime has occurred. After detention, the custody of individuals is promptly transferred to on-duty law enforcement upon their arrival." Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the event did not fall into the city's "special events" category in which local and federal law enforcement would have a "stood-up posture." "This was a relatively small event at a museum, so MPD or the government agencies wouldn't stand up additional resources unless they were requested or unless we got a call for service," Bowser said. However, she noted that the local and federal government do have grant programs that "have helped institutions, faith institutions and others who have been concerned about violence, antisemitism or other hateful speech and rhetoric." "And very recently we have issued grants and we have issued grants over the last several years to those institutions to harden their security and cameras and additional security, and I believe that the museum has done some of those things," she added. Bondi said officials believe the suspect acted alone and that the investigation is ongoing. "I saw a young man's body being taken away, who was about to get engaged. He had an entire life in front of him, and that was taken away," she said. "The hate has got to stop, and it has to stop now. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." Security has now been increased in the area to make sure the Israeli Embassy and ambassador are safe, as well as at Jewish sites nationwide, the attorney general said, adding that she spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday night. "It broke my heart to talk to Bibi last night. He was devastated, and I assured him we were looking into this," Bondi said. "I also spoke to President Trump multiple times, who was just heartbroken and devastated by this." "This a day where we all need to come together, no matter what religion we are," Bondi emphasized. "And you know, the Muslim religion actually reached out to our rabbis and offered condolences and sent a beautiful message that they just showed me, and that's what should be happening." Earlier Thursday, Bondi told Fox News that federal law enforcement is doing "everything we can" to protect the community, especially the Jewish community, in the aftermath of the shooting. "As far as the facts and the law, we'll follow those where they lead," she said. "We will insure everyone America will be safe. We'll do everything we can. This violence has to stop." Cohen said faith-based communities should be "staying aware of the current threat." "Good intelligence is the key," he added. "If we want to prevent these types of violent acts, we have to do a better job recognizing and evaluating the online and physical world warning signs that are almost always exhibited by those preparing to conduct an act of targeted violence." Investigators are reviewing writings posted on X and attributed to suspected shooter Elias Rodriguez, 30, including a 980-word writing titled, "Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home," that appear to call for violence against Israelis. Rodriguez yelled, "Free, free Palestine," as he was taken into custody in the aftermath of the shooting, but it is unclear if the suspect was previously known to officials. "The FBI is aware of certain writings allegedly authored by the suspect, and we hope to have updates to the authenticity very soon," FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted a statement on X Thursday morning, noting that the FBI interviewed Rodriguez at approximately 1 a.m. Investigators said they believe the writings are likely legit but that they are a key piece of the investigation right now that they are working to confirm. In "Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home", the author addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and suggests the latest death toll has been underestimated. Citing a so-called shift in the tide of public opinion toward Gaza in recent weeks, the author appeared to lament the inaction of the U.S. government and said it has criminalized protest. The author, appearing to commend the "sacrifice" made by Aaron Bushnell, who in February 2024 self-immolated in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the attempted drowning of former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara for his role in the Vietnam War, then suggested that many Americans would judge those actions as "sane." The author signed off by sending love to his family and "Free Palestine."
