Shrines in memory of Nyiah Courtney, six years old | 2900 block Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE DC

A six year old girl,  Nyiah Courtney, was murdered in a drive-by shooting. Her mother and three other adults were also wounded by the gunfire.

A series of street memorials has been erected on the site of her slaying. 

There has been an outpouring of grief in the wake of her death. A $60,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunmen. 

This shrine site was emotionally overwhelming to document. Tragic and very sad.

May Nyiah know eternal peace, and may justice be served.

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred on Friday, July 16, 2021, in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, Washington DC. At approximately 11:11 pm, members of the Seventh District were in the area of the listed location when they heard the sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival, members located a juvenile female, two adult females and two adult males. All sustained gunshot wounds and received treatment at area hospitals. A sixth victim, an adult male, sought treatment at a local hospital for a non-life threatening gunshot wound. After all life-saving efforts failed, the juvenile victim succumbed to their injuries. The adult victims were treated for non-life threatening injuries. The decedent has been identified as 6 year-old Nyiah Courtney, of Southeast DC.

There has also been a lot of attention paid to this situation in the press. From an article in the Washington Post: "Nyiah was fatally shot Friday night while walking to her nearby home with her mother, father and older sister in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington. Police said the shots came from a gray, four-door sedan passing the commercial corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X avenues, striking Nyiah, her mother and four others, among the latest victims in a city struggling to curtail gun violence... Nyiah, an outgoing little girl with an infectious smile, who loved to learn and to dance and was eager to begin first grade at Ingenuity Prep Public Charter School this fall, was the youngest victim of a fatal shooting in D.C. this year. “She put a smile on everybody’s face,” said Courtney, Nyiah’s 52-year-old maternal grandmother.

On Saturday, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and Police Chief Robert J. Contee III joined other city officials and the heads of the local offices of the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to address the latest killing in the nation’s capital. Federal authorities promised to help with the case and added money to a reward, pushing the total to $60,000."

Street memorial to Benson Thorne Sr. | 100 block of Kennedy Street NW DC

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred on Friday, June 18, 2021, in the 100 block of Kennedy Street NW, Washington DC. At approximately 12:07 am, members of the Fourth District responded to the listed location for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, members located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. An additional adult male victim was located in the 5100 block of New Hampshire Avenue, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The second victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries. The decedent has been identified as 52 year-old Benson Thorne Sr., of Northwest, DC. 

I spoke at length to a neighbor. about human nature, the propensity of human beings to violence, the long-term effects of the crime of slavery, and about how to build peace within ourselves individually and in the community as a whole.

May Mr. Thorne RIP.

Shrine for Frank Winchester | 1400 block of L Street SE DC

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred on Monday, May 31, 2021, in the 1400 block of L Street SE, Washington DC. At approximately 8:54 pm, members of the First District responded to the listed location for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, members located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to an area hospital. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The decedent has been identified as 40 year-old Frank Winchester, of Southeast DC. 

This memorial overlooks the Southeast/Southwest Freeway.

Site of the slaying of Jamya Williams | 4th and K Streets NW DC

This police tape is at the edge of Franklin Square Park, in the heart of DC busiest commercial district.

From a DC Police report: Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department's Major Crash Investigations Unit are investigating a vehicular homicide resulting from a hit and run that occurred on Saturday, July 3, 2021, in the intersection of 14th and K Street NW, Washington DC. The preliminary investigation revealed that at approximately 12:54 am, the driver of a Acura TLX was traveling north bound, at high rate of speed north, in the 900 block of 14th Street, Northwest. The Acura proceeded through a red traffic light at the intersection of 14th and K Street, Northwest, and collided with a Hyundai Elantra, which was travelling east bound on K Street NW. The Acura pushed the Hyundai north bound through the intersection, where a BMW X5, collided with the driver’s side rear of the Acura. The BMW was initially travelling east bound, in the left lane of the 1400 block of K Street prior to the crash. As the BMW and Acura slid north bound through the intersection, a Nissan Maxima that was travelling west bound in the 1300 block of K Street NW, collided with the passenger side of the Acura. The Acura, BMW, and the Nissan came to final rest in the northeast corner of the intersection. The Hyundai departed from the Acura and momentum of the collision caused the Hyundai to travel sideways where the vehicle came to final rest on the northeast sidewalk of 14th and K Street NW. The driver and passenger of the Acura both fled the scene on foot. DC Fire and EMS transported the operator of the Hyundai to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. The drivers of the BMW and Nissan were treated on scene and released. On Sunday, July 4, 2021, after all life-saving efforts failed, the victim was pronounced dead. The victim has been identified as 20 year-old Jamya Williams, of Greenbelt, MD. The persons and vehicle of interest were captured by a surveillance camera. 

RIP

Site of the slaying of Kenneth Cherry | 3800 block of Halley Terrace SE DC

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in the 3800 block of Halley Terrace SE, Washington DC. At approximately 1:37 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the listed location for the sounds of gunshots. Shortly thereafter, members responded to a local hospital for the report of a walk-in shooting victim. Upon arrival, officers located the victim in the emergency room suffering from life-threatening injuries. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The decedent has been identified as 20 year-old Kenneth Cherry, of Northeast DC. 

Memorial for Trecomey Logan | 1400 block of Smith Place SE DC

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred on Friday, July 2, 2021, in the 1400 block of Smith Place SE, Washington DC. At approximately 8:22 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the listed location for the report of an unconscious person. Upon arrival, members located an adult male victim, inside of a vehicle, suffering from gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and found that the victim displayed no signs consistent with life. The decedent has been identified as 38 year-old Trecomey Logan, of Stafford, VA.

May Mr. Logan rest in peace.