Washington, D.C
Gun shops that sold weapons trafficked into Washington, DC, sued by nation's capital and Maryland
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three gun shops that sold nearly three dozen firearms to a man who trafficked the weapons in and around Washington, D.C., are facing a new lawsuit jointly filed Tuesday by attorneys general for Maryland and the nation’s capital.
At least nine of those guns have now been found at crime scene and or with people wanted on warrants for violent offenses, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said. Many of the others are still unaccounted for.
“Our city is being flooded with illegal weapons,” he said. “All three of these stores ignored the red flags.”
The stores are accused of failing to respond to warning signs that the guns would be sold to other people, including bulk purchasing and repetitive purchases, known as straw purchasing, according to the lawsuit filed with the gun safety group Everytown Law.
“Many of us watch the news and we wonder where all these guns are coming from,” said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. “Now we have part of the answer.”
The lawsuit is the first to be filed jointly and comes after other civil suits against gun shops filed around the country, including New Jersey, Minnesota, Chicago and Philadelphia. Kansas City also settled a suit last year against a gun dealer accused of ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally.
Washington, D.C., has struggled with gun violence in recent years. The nation’s capital saw its highest number of homicides in more than three decades last year, and more than 90% of those were carried out with firearms, the suit states.
Schwalb said that the supply of weapons is fueled partly by straw purchasing. About 95% of guns recovered in Washington, D.C., which has strict gun laws, originally come from nearby Maryland or Virginia, he said. While some of those are stolen weapons, more come from illegal straw sales, according to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The three gun shops sued Tuesday are accused of selling a total of nearly three dozen similar weapons to Demetrius Minor over a seven-month period in 2021. Nearly all were trafficked to others, including people who aren’t legally allowed to buy firearms, the suit alleges. One gun, for example, was found in a D.C. hotel room along with an illegal large-capacity magazine and another was found at the home of a stabbing suspect, the suit says.
Minor pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license last year in a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. An attorney who represented Minor could not immediately be reached for comment.
The suit was filed against Engage Armament LLC, United Gun Shop and Atlantic Guns, Inc., all located in nearby Montgomery County, Maryland. It seeks unspecified damages and court action to halt any future straw purchases. The stores did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Washington, D.C
Capitol Police arrest man attempting to set his car on fire amid Trump DC visit with GOP senators
The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) said that they arrested a person who attempted to set his car ablaze near the U.S. Capitol building during President-elect Trump’s visit late Wednesday.
“Twice today our officers stopped a man who could have been a danger to the Capitol Hill community,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said. “This vigilance is critical during this time of heightened security.”
The agency said that during Trump’s visit with Republican senators and his time paying respect to President Carter, a 35-year-old man from Virginia attempted to set his car on fire.
POLICE ARREST MAN AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CARRY MACHETE, 3 KNIVES INTO US CAPITOL, HOURS BEFORE TRUMP ARRIVES
A general view of the U.S. Capitol Dome in Washington, D.C. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst )
Police said that just before 5:30 p.m., USCP officers were alerted to a man who had parked on First Street, NW, near the Grant Memorial, and had lit a bag on fire atop his vehicle.
POLICE ARREST MAN AT US CAPITOL WHO HAD BOTTLES OF FUEL, FLARE GUN, BLOW TORCH
When officers ran over to the man, the bag extinguished on its own.
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Reuters/Jason Reed)
Out of an abundance of caution, the USCP said that the vehicle was declared suspicious, and the agency’s Hazardous Incident Response Division cleared the vehicle.
Officials determined that the car was not a danger at approximately 7 p.m.
The car had been spray-painted. Investigators determined that accelerants were in the bag. The driver was arrested for unlawful activities.
The U.S. Capitol Police stopped a man from entering the Capitol at a security checkpoint, after he was found to allegedly have a machete and three knives in his bag. (U.S. Capitol Police)
Hours prior to this arrest, the USCP detained a man who attempted to carry a machete into the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC).
The Capitol Police said in a social media post that the incident happened just after 2 p.m., when officers working at a security screening at the CVC’s north doors spotted a machete in the man’s bag.
The X-ray machine was stopped as the bag went through, then police arrested 44-year-old Mel J. Horne, of Washington, D.C., before securing the machete.
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Police said Horne was arrested for multiple counts of carrying a dangerous weapon and will be interviewed by investigators to determine his motive.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
As D.C. continues to dig out of Monday’s snow storm, there are many residents who need help clearing their sidewalks, walkways and driveways.
Even a little snow can be problematic for seniors and people with disabilities.
That’s where D.C.’s “Snow Hero” program comes in.
More than 200 volunteers from all walks of life signed up with the D.C. government to lend a hand.
Nigle Brake and his team with the environmental organization Ward 8 Woods are some of them.
“Well, it’s about taking care of your community and giving back when you can,” Brake said.
Brake and his team were called to shovel at one home in Southeast D.C. Wednesday morning, but noticed the neighbors’ sidewalks also needed shoveling.
“We noticed that next door there were two houses, and that house had a veteran sign on it. So we looked at that house, knocked on the door. But then we saw the elevator lift, and saw that the individual is possibly in a wheelchair. So, we took the opportunity to knock on the door,” Brake said.
Hundreds of residents called the city for help clearing their steps and walkways after Monday’s snow storm dumped several inches on the city.
“So far, over a thousand D.C. residents have been matched with volunteers to shovel their driveways and walkways, but we still have hundreds more that need help,” Serve D.C. Director Dominique A. Scott told News4.
“I think it shows the resilience of the community, of people giving back and caring about those in need,” Brake said.
“They’re amazing. We couldn’t do this without them. The engagement of the residents makes all the difference, and when people see that their community members are showing up for them, it warms their heart,” Scott said.
Any D.C. residents who need help shoveling their snow, or who want to volunteer, can call 311.
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