by Ìbùkúnolúwa Dàda
In the space of 12 hours between Saturday and Sunday, one stabbing and six shootings have left two men dead and six injured in Washington D.C.
The first fatal shooting occurred Saturday afternoon on Providence Street NE, claiming the life of Michael Sturgent Morris, 45. Hours later, another shooting on Shipley Terrace SE resulted in the death of Dionzae Foote, 29, from Oxon Hill.
Between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, four more shootings and a stabbing were reported across various locations in the city. These incidents left several people injured, including three women shot on Banks Place NE and a woman stabbed on Minnesota Avenue NE. None of these injuries were life-threatening.
Two additional shootings occurred later Sunday afternoon, one near 7th Street and Missouri Avenue NW and another on S. Capitol Street SW. As of the report, no arrests had been made, and all investigations were ongoing.
These series of violent acts come before the Fourth of July holiday, which has historically been associated with increased violent incidents in D.C. and across the nation. Last year, the Washington Post reported that the holiday period saw multiple fatal shootings and one incident that injured several people.
Recall that hours after MPD with Mayor browser launched D.C.s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) Program on June 24, the Police reported a shooting incident that left two people injured in Northwest D.C
Despite this recent spike, overall violent crime in D.C. has decreased in 2024 compared to the previous year. Police data shows a 29 percent reduction in violent crime, including a 24 percent decrease in both homicides and assaults with dangerous weapons. This trend represents an improvement from 2023, which was the city’s deadliest year since 1997.
Nevertheless, the drone program solution touted by the MPD as part of a wider effort to expand video surveillance across the district has come under public scrutiny. Introducing police drones has raised concerns among some residents and civil liberties advocates. Critics worry about potential privacy infringements and the impact on protests in the nation’s capital, which frequently hosts demonstrations on various political and social issues.
The program will deploy five Parrot Anafi drones, each valued at $15,000. Police leadership asserts that these unmanned aerial vehicles will enhance public safety and allow for more efficient resource allocation within the department.
This development highlights the ongoing tension between law enforcement’s desire to leverage new technologies for public safety and the public’s right to privacy in an increasingly surveilled urban environment. As the program rolls out, it’s likely to face scrutiny from both supporters who see it as a necessary security measure and opponents who view it as an overreach of police power.
