Site of passage: Oluremi Thomas and Keyonna Proctor - 700 block of Girard Street NW, Washington DC

From a DC Police report: On Monday, January 20, 2014, at approximately 10:56 pm, police officers from the Third District responded to a call for the report of an unconscious person in the 700 block of Girard Street NW, Washington DC. Upon arrival, they located an adult male and an adult female suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Neither victim exhibited any signs consistent with life. The male victim has been identified as Oluremi Thomas, 36. The female victim has been identified as Keyonna Proctor, 24.

The police crime tape to the victims of this double murder was in a quiet snow-filled alley not far from Howard University.

More information on their case can be found on HomicideWatch.

Peace.

Site of passage: George Hartzog - 4500 block of Quarles Street NE, Washington DC

From a DC Police report: On Friday, January 24, 2014, at approximately 9:31 am, members from the Sixth District responded to a call for a report of a shooting in the 4500 block of Quarles Street NE, Washington DC. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.  DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene and determined that there were no signs consistent with life. The decedent, George Edward Hartzog, 24, remained on the scene and was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, pending an autopsy. 

These shoes, recently tossed over utility wires, may be a memorial for Mr. Hartzog.

May he rest in peace, and his loved ones find comfort and justice.

More information on this case is at HomicideWatch.

Teddy bears in the snow. Memorial for Deangelo Gatling, 24th Street SE, Washington DC

From a DC Police report: On Sunday, January 12, 2014, at approximately 2:06 pm, members from the Seventh District responded to a call for the report of a shooting in the 2300 block of 24th Street, SE, Washington DC. Upon their arrival, members located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, identified as Deangelo Gatling, 18, to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

More on Mr. Gatling's case is at HomicideWatch.

Shrine in the snow, in memory of Norell and Zyana Harris | Exorcism homicide, Germantown Maryland

From Montgomery County Maryland police reports: Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division have charged a 28-year-old woman with murder in the deaths of two of her children. On Friday, January 17, 2014, Montgomery County Police officers responded to the 19000 block of Cherry Bend Drive in Germantown, Maryland, where they discovered four children that had been assaulted. Two of the children were pronounced deceased on the scene and the other two were transported to a hospital for treatment of their injuries. In addition, a 21-year-old woman was transported to a hospital for medical treatment. The children’s mother was on the scene but was uninjured.
Detectives have now charged the children’s mother with two counts of First Degree Murder and two counts of Attempted First Degree Murder. She is identified as Zakieya Latrice Avery, 28.  She was taken to police headquarters from the scene where she was interviewed and subsequently charged. She is currently being held without bond. Detectives also arrested Monifa Denise Sanford, 21, of the  same address in Germantown after she was released from the hospital. Sanford has been charged with two counts of First Degree Murder and two counts of Attempted First Degree Murder. She is being held without bond.
The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled today that both Norell Harris, age 1, and Zyana Harris, age 2, suffered multiple stab wounds and both deaths have been classified as homicide.  Taniya Harris, age 5, and Martello Harris, age 8, remain hospitalized.

Investigators have learned that the two defendants believed that they were performing an exorcism.

“Cases like this are heartbreaking” said Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger. “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims along with the 911 operators, police officers, evidence technicians, and fire and EMS personnel that responded.”

There is considerably more information on this deeply shocking case in the Washington Post.

Candles in the snow...

And a prayer for mercy and justice in this world.

RIP Anthony Robinson | 17th Street SE DC

From a DC police report: On Monday, December 2, 2013, at approximately 10:50 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the sound of gunshots in the 1900 block of 17th Street SE, Washington DC. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim, identified as Anthony Robinson, 26, to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

This was an emotional and meaningful shrine for me, as the deceased Mr. Robinson turned out to be a relative of Dion Johnson, the young man I used to mentor in photography, and with whom I am still close. On the site, I ran into Dion's cousins Ronnette, and his other cousin Morgan Paul, who live in the block, and who built the shrine during the course of a heavily-attended vigil they organized in his honor. Anthony Robinson was Ronnette's nephew, and she heard the seven gunshots that took his life.

There is more information on this case at HomicideWatch.

I also want to thank Aldo Bello and Chris O'Leary, who were filming with me on this occasion.

Darius Jamal Murphy's memorial, Ivy City/Trinidad neighborhood NE, DC

From a DC police report: On Tuesday, December 3, 2013, at approximately 9:05 pm, members of the Narcotics and Special Investigations Division (NSID), Gun Recovery Unit (GRU) attempted to stop an individual, when the suspect produced a handgun and fired at the officers – striking one of them. The officers returned fire striking the suspect.  Personnel from DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene. The officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect, identified as Darius Jamal Murphy, 19, was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.  

More information on this case is on HomicideWatch.

Demetrius Eccles- crime tape and more, Sheridan Street NW DC

From a DC police report:  On Saturday, December 7, 2013, at approximately 8:58 pm, officers from the Fourth District responded to the 900 block of Sheridan Street NW, Washington DC, for the report for the sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival, they located an adult male, identified as Demetrius Eccles, 31, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.  DC Fire and EMS did not find any signs consistent with life.  The decedent remained on the scene and was later transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. http://homicidewatch.org/victims/demetrius-eccles/  

I spoke with some neighbors, who pointed out where Mr. Eccles fell, and to his blood, which remained on the driveway.

We hoped for a more peaceful new year for the neighborhood.

There is more information at HomicideWatch.

RIP Wall to several people | 14th Street NE, Washington DC.

I encountered this bracing wall of several RIP notices in the 2500 Block of 14th Street, NE, Washington DC.

Named on the wall are Kevin, Lee, Ronnell, Sheel, Pat, and Erine.

May you all indeed rest in peace.

Street shrine to an unknown victim | Good Hope Road and 14th Street SE DC

I encountered this unusual shrine at the busy corner of Good Hope Road and 14th Street SE, Washington DC. I am unsure who it honors.

According to a HomicideWatch report, Dwayne Anthony Bryant was killed a block from this site on Friday, March 8, 2013.  At approximately 10:02 pm on this date, units from the Seventh District responded to the 1900 block of 13th Street SE, Washington DC, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, identified as Dwayne Antonio Bryant, 22, to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.  
 

Pink elephant | Memorial for Donald Isiah Jones, 14th Street NE DC

From a DC Police report: On Saturday, November 23, 2013, at approximately 6:29 pm, officers from the Fifth District responded to the 2500 Block of 14th Street NE, Washington DC, for the report of sounds of gunshots. A subsequent report was received for a shooting victim in the 2500 Block of 14th Street, Northeast. Upon their arrival, they located two adult males suffering from gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS transported the first victim, identified as Donald Isiah Jones, 32, to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The second shooting victim was also transported to a local hospital where he was admitted in stable condition.  

Someone misses Mr. Jones. I was very touched also by this small pink elephant left in his memory.

There is more information on the case at HomicideWatch.

This neighborhood has seen more than its share of violence in the past few years.  A prayer for peace, justice, healing, and wisdom for all who live there.

Two memorial wreaths for Joseph Fowlkes | 400 block of Shepherd Street NW DC

From a DC police report: On Friday, November 1, 2013, at approximately 2:19 am, units from the Fourth District responded to the 400 Block of Shepherd Street NW, Washington DC, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, identified as Joseph David Fowlkes, 27, to a local hospital where he was pronounced.

I found these unusual twin wreaths, densely covered with caring written sentiments from his family and loved ones, on either side of an alley adjacent to the street where Mr. Fowlkes met his sad fate.

For more information on the situation, please visit the always helpful and thorough site, HomicideWatch.

Site of Stefanie Anne Littlejohn's passing; 2400 block of Kent Village Place, Landover MD

From a Prince Georges County police report: On November 19, 2013, at about 2:45 am, patrol officers were called to the 2400 block of Kent Village Place, Landover Maryland, for a possible stabbing. When they arrived, patrol officers found an adult female outside suffering from trauma to her body. She was pronounced dead on the scene. The victim is identified as Stefanie Anne Littlejohn, 30, of Suitland, Maryland.

I found this mass of police crime scene tape bundled up near the site of Ms. Littlejohn's passing.

Sad. Peace to all concerned.