Metro reports slight bump in crime in 2015

WASHINGTON — In a year with two high-profile homicides and growing concerns from riders about safety on Metro, the transit agency reported that crime was up only slightly in 2015 over the previous year.

The year-end figures include crimes that took place on Metrorail, Metrobuses and on Metro property. However those year-end totals don’t include a fatal stabbing and two fatal shootings because the Metro Transit Police Department is not responsible for investigating homicides. Although those cases will be noted in a year-end report, they will not be included in the agency’s annual crime statistics.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel tells WTOP, “2014 and 2015 were both significantly lower than what we’ve seen in past years.”

Comprehensive crime reports are presented to the WMATA Board’s Safety Committee at least quarterly.

“Coming up later this month, Chief (Ronald A. Pavlik Jr.) will present the full 2015 crime report for the Metrorail system. This is a preview of what it will show,” Stessel said.

Despite the small increase in serious crime, which include assault, robbery and theft, Stessel notes that 2015 had the second lowest number of such crimes since 2008.

The following are year-end totals for serious crimes provided by Stessel:

• 2015: 1,640
• 2014: 1,557
• 2013: 2,128
• 2012: 1,984
• 2011: 1,898
• 2010: 2,270
• 2009: 2,032
• 2008: 1,821

“Any crime is one crime too many on Metro,” Stessel said. “Everyone should be able to ride Metro safely and not have to worry about being the victim of a crime. That is our goal.”

Some riders do worry about their safety, which has contributed to a drop in ridership, according to Metro. In at least three cases since November, groups of teenagers have assaulted Metro riders, sometimes leaving them with serious injuries.

Most recently, three people were injured by a group of young people on a Metro Center platform Jan. 2. Stessel said that case — under “active” investigation — includes reviews of surveillance camera footage, victim and witness statements and other investigative tactics.

On Nov. 22, on a Green Line train, a couple trying to stop an assault and robbery on a teenager by two teen girls was attacked and left with serious injuries.

On Dec. 21, a man was left with a concussion and broken jaw after being attacked by six teenagers on the Red Line.

“We are following a number of good leads on that and I expect we’ll have closure on that in very short order,” Stessel says of anticipated arrests in the cases from late 2015.

Not included in the crime figures was the brutal stabbing death of Kevin Joseph Sutherland on July 4. He was stabbed as many as 20 times on a Metro train as other passengers looked on. Jaspire Spires has been charged with killing Sutherland.

Later that month, a Silver Spring man was shot and killed inside the parking garage at the Wheaton Station. Two men were arrested in connection with Eric Melgar’s death.

A Metro Transit officer shot and killed 35-year-old Bobby Gross inside a tunnel near the Potomac Avenue Station in March.

The crime totals also don’t reflect the death of Carol Glover, who died of smoke inhalation after she was among the passengers trapped on a smoke-filled Yellow Ling train last January. Her death, the cause of the smoke and rescue response all remain under investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board expects to issue its report in the spring.

Meanwhile, Metro Transit Police encourage riders to text police at “Mymtpd” (696873) if passengers see:

• Juvenile disorderly conduct
• Panhandling
• Unattended items
• Suspicious activity

Stessel says riders sending transit police a text message will get an immediate response.

“It’s an actual live operator at Metro Transit Police communications who can dispatch officers and so forth,” Stessel said. “You can carry on a conversation with them.”

For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.