DC Mayor Muriel Bowser directs MPD to use 'any overtime necessary' in response to recent gun violence
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser directs MPD to use 'any overtime necessary' in response to recent gun violence
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a letter to certain members of D.C. Council Monday saying she has directed the Metropolitan Police Department to "use any overtime necessary to meet our public safety needs" after an increase in gun violence in the District.
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a letter to certain members of D.C. Council Monday saying she has directed the Metropolitan Police Department to "use any overtime necessary to meet our public safety needs" after an increase in gun violence in the District.
"The terrible incidents of this past weekend, including the tragic murder of six-year-old Nyiah Courtney, illustrates how far we still must go to address the brazen shooters in our neighborhoods," Mayor Bowser said in her letter to Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Charles Allen, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety.
Courtney was killed after a shooting at the intersection of Malcolm X Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast on Saturday. Five other adults suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
READ MORE: $60,000 reward offered in shooting death of 6-year-old in DC
Also on Saturday, multiple people were shot outside Nationals Park during a game against the San Diego Padres. According to police, investigators believe people two cars were firing guns at each other outside the stadium.
Three victims were injured, including a woman not involved in the gunfight.
READ MORE: DC police confirm 3 people shot outside Nationals Park
"We have heard the calls from residents in our communities most impacted by gun violence: They want to see a strong, sustained police presence," Mayor Bowser said in her letter. "They do not feel safe while the threat of gun violence looms. My charge to our police officers is to keep our communities safe and bring to justice those responsible for terrorizing our neighborhoods, threatening our families, and harming our residents."
Mayor Bowser acknowledged the use of overtime is not an ideal solution and a better solution would be to fully staff their police force.
Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather
"Expanding and maintaining these increased police deployments in our communities during a year of no police hiring requires a corresponding increase in overtime," she said.