Washington, D.C
2 dead after separate fires strike Washington, DC
Two people were killed in separate apartment fires over the course of 24 hours in the nation’s capital this weekend.
D.C. Fire and EMS responded to 13th Street NW near Park Road NW just before 10 p.m. on Friday night following reports of a blaze on the second floor of a three-story apartment. First responders found a man with life-threatening injuries and rushed him to the hospital, but he died Saturday morning.
Firefighters then responded to another blaze at a separate three-story apartment on Newton Street near 18th Street NW. Responders found a woman with lifethreatening injuries on the first floor, and she too died of her injuries in the hospital later Saturday.
Authorities have not released any information about the identities of the two victims. Authorities say the blaze at the woman’s apartment has rendered the whole building unlivable, displacing five people, according to WTOP.
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D.C. Fire and EMS Dept respond to a first-floor apartment fire Newton Street near 18th Street NW in the nation’s capital. (DC Fire and EMS Dept)
Investigators have yet to determine the cause of either fire, the outlet reported.
The blazes came after a week of heavy police presence in Washington, D.C., thanks to the inauguration ceremony for President Donald Trump.
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Thousands of officers and agents from the Department of Homeland Security, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and the National Guard swarmed Capitol Hill and elsewhere in the city throughout the week.
D.C. Fire and EMS Dept officers respond to a blaze in Washington, D.C. (DC Fire and EMS Dept)
The National Guard said it deployed some 7,800 troops to the inauguration.
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Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said city police officers were joined by nearly 4,000 officers from across the country who volunteered to provide support on Inauguration Day.
Washington, D.C
DC leaders considering transit options for new RFK Stadium
The Commanders are set to build a new stadium in D.C., and the debate over how fans will get to and from games is happening right now. On Wednesday, city leaders will join Metro and the Washington Commanders to talk stadium transit.
Washington, D.C
D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report
TNND — A new report from the House Oversight Committee alleges former D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to manipulate crime data. The committee released the report on Sunday, less than a week after Smith announced she was stepping down.
You’re lulling people into this false sense of security. They might go places they wouldn’t ordinarily go. They might do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” said Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association.
Included in the report were transcribed interviews with the commanders of all seven D.C. patrol districts and the former commander currently on suspended leave. One was asked, “Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?” Their response, “Yes, I mean extremethere’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration.”
Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement.
“They are going to have to regain the public trust. Again, this is a huge integrity issue,” Brantner Smith said.
Among the reports findings, Smith’s alleged pressured campaign against staff led to inaccurate crime data. Smith punished or removed officers for reporting accurate crime numbers. Smith fostered a toxic culture and President Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in D.C. is working.
While Smith has not yet publicly responded to the report, she’s previously denied allegations of manipulating crime data, saying the investigation did not play a factor into her decision to step down at the end of the year.
My decision was not factored into anything with respect to, other than the fact that it’s time. I’ve had 28 years in law enforcement. I’ve had some time to think with my family,” Smith said earlier this month.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also released a statement Monday, writing in part that “the interim report betrays its bias from the outset, admitting that it was rushed to release.”
According to crime stats from the Metropolitan Police Department, since the federal law enforcement surge started in August, total violent crime is down 26%. Homicides are down 12% and carjackings 37%.
Washington, D.C
National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims
The first candle lit on the National Menorah near the White House in Washington, D.C., marked the first night of Hanukkah — and solemnly honored victims of the Bondi Beach shooting.
The National Menorah Lighting was held Sunday night, hours after gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, and over three dozen others were being treated at hospitals.
Authorities in Australia said it was a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people.
Organizers behind the National Menorah Lighting said the news from Australia, along with the bitter cold, forced them to consider whether or not to hold the annual event.
After consulting with local law enforcement, National Menorah Lighting organizers decided to hold the event and honor the victims.
Several D.C.-area police departments issued statements confirming there are no known threats to local communities, but are monitoring just in case.
Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich condemned the attack and said community safety is a priority.
“Acts of antisemitism, especially those meant to intimidate families and communities during moments of gathering and celebration, must be called out clearly and condemned without hesitation,” Elrich said. “I have heard directly from members of Montgomery County’s Jewish community who are shaken and concerned, and I want them to know that their safety is a priority.”
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