Memorial for Myles LeShai McLean / 61st & Dix Streets NE

From a DC Police report: On Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at approximately 4:26 am, members of the Sixth District responded to the report of a shooting in the 6100 block of Dix Street NE, Washington DC. Upon arrival on the scene, they found Myles LaShay Mclean, 23, of NE Washington DC, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim to a local hospital where the victim was pronounced dead.

Myles LaShai McLean was a 23-year-old transgender woman, and the murder is being investigated as a hate crime, according to the city officials. Metro Weekly reports Ms. McLean's vigil was organized by Earline Budd of Transgender Health Empowerment and Ruby Corado with the DC Trans Coalition.

''This is just to remember Lashai,'' Corado says of this vigil and others, ''to show that we care, that we love them, that their life matters. We usually don't want to make it a political event, but it turns out that way because this happens too many times." and ''we also want to bring attention to the fact that most crimes against transgender people don't find justice.''

An extensive and moving report on the situation is in the Blade.

May justice and peace come to Ms. McLean, her friends, supporters, and family.

Further information is at HomicideWatch.

Update: According to WAMU, the original shrine was burned in what is being investigated as a bias crime.

On September 17th, I visited the site, and found the memorial had been rebuilt.

David Eduardo Gonzalez's shrine in the 900 block of Randolph Stret NW

From a DC police report: On Tuesday July 19, 2011, at approximately 3:08 am, Units from the Fourth District responded to the 900 block of Randolph Street NW, Washington DC, to investigate the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they observed a male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and EMS determined that the victim had no signs consistent with life. The victim, David Eduardo Gonzalez , 23, of Northwest DC, was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and was pronounced dead.

Though I have no further information on Mr. Gonzalez, but a red neckerchief is usually a sign of the Bloods.

A young woman passerby at this street memorial shook her head sadly, and commented "it never stops, does it."

I pray that it does someday, and in our time.

More on Mr. Gonzales is at HomicideWatch.

Double homicide- Jimmie Lee Simmons and Domonique Barber

From DC police and news reports: On Saturday, July 9, 2011, at approximately 5:52 am, members of the Third District responded to the sounds of gunshots in the 1400 block of Parkwood Place NW, Washington DC. Upon arrival on the scene, they found three adult male victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Personnel from DC Fire and EMS determined two of the victims had no signs compatible with life. Those two victims were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where they were pronounced dead. The third victim was transported to a local hospital where he was admitted in grave condition. The decedents have been identified as Jimmie Lee Simmons III, 32, and Domonique Barber , 31, both of NW Washington, DC. A press report stated that a weapon was recovered from the victim who went to the hospital.
Motives for the slayings remain unclear, although there is a suggestion that there may have been gambling on the scene.

There were three memorials at the end of the block,; I assume for all three individuals who were shot.

Sad.

More information is on HomicideWatch.

Memorial for Lonnie Martin Whitted, 18th and U Place SE

On Thursday July 7, 2011, at approximately 12:15 am, units from the Sixth District responded to 18th Street and U Place SE, Washington DC, to investigate the sounds of gunshots. Upon arriving on the scene, officers located an adult male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, Lonnie Martin Whitted, 27, of SE Washington DC, to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

I was with writer John Muller at this site. We spoke with a woman, Deborah Akwie who started the memorial, and on whose property it abuts. She said the murder was a deep shock to the neighborhood, and that things have been somber since then. She also testified that she had learned that Mr. Whitted had been an accomplished and educated person, and had quite a large circle of caring friends and family who were deeply grieved at his sad and sudden end.

More information on HomicideWatch.

Peace peace peace...

RIP graffiti, Woodland Terrace SE

Graffiti on an electrical box, in the Woodland Terrace projects, off Ainger Place SE, Washington DC.

The gang in this neighborhood calls itself "The Lench Mob"

I have no further information about these RIP tags.

Official notice / RIP Kelvin Donnell Brown / Lincoln Rd NE

On Tuesday July 5, 2011, at approximately 12:35 am, DC Fire and EMS were notified that an adult male victim had been shot in the 1600 block of Lincoln Road NE, Washington DC. They located and transported the victim to a local hospital. Members from the Fifth District were then dispatched to respond to a local area hospital in regards to the shooting victim. Upon arriving on the scene, officers located an adult male victim being treated by medical personnel suffering from a gunshot wound. The adult male victim, Kelvin Donnell Brown, 22, of NW Washington DC, later succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead.

More information on HomicideWatch.

For Jeffrey Yarnell Covington, 46th Place NE

From DC Police reports: On Saturday July 2, 2011, at approximately 1:30 am, units from the Sixth District responded to shooting in the 600 block of 46th Place SE, Washington DC. Officers located an adult male victim, identified as Jeffrey Yarnell Covington, 19, of Upper Marlboro, MD, suffering from a gunshot wound. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead.

I am not 100% sure this group of plush animals is intended as Mr. Covington's shrine, but the location is correct, and it looks & feels like a small memorial.

In any case, peace to his friends and family.

More information on HomicideWatch.

There was another shrine in this cul-de-sac recently, to Antoine Buckner.

Street Memorial for Mr. Robert Foster / Caribbean Festival tragedy

There was a shooting incident at the annual Caribbean Festival held on Georgia Avenue in DC.

From a DC Police report: On Saturday, June 25, 2011, at approximately 5:03 pm, units from the Third District responded to a call for the sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival, they located four victims, three in the 700 block of Gresham Place NW, Washington DC, and one in the 700 block of Columbia Road NW. All four victims were transported by DC Fire and EMS to local hospitals where one of the victims, Robert Foster Jr , 43, was pronounced dead.

Terry Jimenez, 20, was charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with Fosters' death.

This shrine for Mr. Foster is on the corner of Georgia Avenue and Gresham Place NW, very near Howard University.

The incidents surrounding this act of very public tragedy and arrest are compiled at HomicideWatch.

Peace to Mr. Foster, to his family and circle of friends, and to all of us.

Memorial for Marcellus Darnaby on Delafield Place NW

From a DC Police report: On Wednesday, June 15, 2011, at approximately 1:04 am, units from the Fourth District were dispatched to the 300 block of Delafield Place NW, Washington DC, for the sounds of gunshots. Upon their arrival, they located an adult male victim inside an apartment suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, Marcellus J. Darnaby, 32, to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was later pronounced dead.

Sad. Peace to his friends and family.

More information on Mr. Darnaby's case at HomicideWatch.