With the city’s homicide rate rising sharply D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will meet at midday with faith leaders to discuss strategies for reducing violence and hate crimes.
Riverside Baptist Church in Southwest will provide the setting for a luncheon where the mayor plans to strategize with members of the faith community and others.
The number of hate crimes has been rising steadily in the city since 2015. There were 66 such crimes in 2015 and 209 in 2018. There have been 10 so far this year.
The District’s 28th homicide of the year happened Tuesday in Columbia Heights. Police say a man was shot to death in the 1300 block of Monroe Street NW. Students at the nearby Tubman Elementary School were placed in a 30-minute lockdown, as police searched for the suspect.
Asked earlier this week about reducing gun violence the mayor said the District’s trying every strategy possible.
“We are very committed to making sure we’re identifying illegal guns and people who have demonstrated that they’re willing to use them,” Bowser said.
The District and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jesse Liu are planning to pursue more prosecutions in federal court against felons who are caught carrying firearms.
