DMV Crime Watch: Congressman carjacked, MPD makes 48 arrests in 3 days, 2 shootings end HBCU homecoming events
WASHINGTON - FOX 5 is keeping an eye on crime in your community. Here's a look at some of the most notable stories from across the DMV this week.
DC's carjacking crisis hits Congress: Congressman Henry Cuellar has car stolen at gunpoint
Texas congressman Henry Cuellar said he tried to remain calm when three armed carjackers pointed guns at him Monday night and demanded his vehicle while he was parking his car in D.C.'s Navy Yard neighborhood.
Police say the carjacking happened just after 9:30 p.m. near New Jersey and K Streets in Southeast.
"I was just coming in to my place, three guys came out of nowhere, and they pointed guns at me," he said.
Cuellar did say that even though the suspects wore masks, he said he felt they all appeared to be young. Capitol Police are working with D.C. Police on tracking down the suspects.
US Defense Department official charged in facilitating dog fighting ring
A Department of Defense official and another man have been charged with facilitating a clandestine dog fighting ring that authorities say executed the animals that lost the fights.
Officials say Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland face promoting and furthering animal fighting venture charges.
According to the DOJ, twelve dogs were recovered and seized by federal agents after law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Moorefield and Flythe’s residences in Maryland.
If convicted, Moorefield and Flythe each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Teen speaks after getting robbed, attacked inside DC library
A mother is outraged after she says two teens were attacked and robbed for their iPhone and Jordan sneakers inside a D.C. public library.
Libraries are supposed to be a peaceful sanctuary for children and adults alike. But on Monday. Oct. 2, that peace at Woodridge Neighborhood Library was disturbed when four suspects attacked the two teens and took off with their items.
"I was very panicked; I wasn't sure how to handle the situation. I tried to find the most rational way to go through with it. And yeah, I did the best I could," one of the teenage victims recalled. "I wasn't sure this would ever happen in a library. I've been to that library for many, many, years, and I never knew something so, so horrid, could happen."
After the robbery, the suspects walked right out of the door, got in a car, and drove away.
FOX 5 has reached out to D.C. Public Library officials, and they say that an officer is assigned to this library, but the officer was on the first floor and the robbery happened on the second floor. D.C. Public Library officials said they are looking into adding more security at the Woodridge Neighborhood Library.
Morgan State Shooting: Search for suspects after 5 shot at campus homecoming event in Baltimore
Authorities are still searching for suspects after five people were wounded by gunfire at a homecoming week celebration at Baltimore's Morgan State University on Tuesday.
The shooting was reported just before 9:30 p.m. as students were heading to a campus ball following the coronation of Mister & Miss Morgan State at the Murphy Fine Arts Center. The campus was locked down for about four hours, as police went from room to room looking for suspects.
With the suspects still on the loose, the school announced the following day that all remaining homecoming events were canceled.
Four of the five victims have since been released from the hospital but with no arrests made, the investigation is ongoing.
The reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects in the shooting has also been raised to $9,000.
'Operation Trident': DC leaders announce arrests of 48 individuals in 3-day sting targeting violent offenders
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and law enforcement leaders announced the arrests of 48 individuals in a three-day operation targeting violent offenders with outstanding warrants this week.
Officials say "Operation Trident" was a multi-agency effort that took place from Oct. 3-Oct. 5. The Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office, and Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) worked together to apprehend the wanted individuals, many of whom were on supervised release or probation for other offenses.
The collaborative operation focused on bringing in wanted criminals who had histories relating to narcotics, firearms, crimes of violence, gang activity or sexual offenses.
The 48 arrests led to the closure of 72 warrants and 24 additional charges were brought against the offenders. The mayor says the efforts don’t end here, adding that city leaders and law enforcement are working tirelessly to create a safer D.C.
5 men injured in Northeast DC shooting; no suspects in custody
Police are investigating a shooting that left five men injured in Northeast D.C. Friday.
The mass shooting occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 in the 100 block of Quincy Place, NE. When they arrived at the scene, officers found three men with gunshot wounds, who said they were standing outside when someone opened fire on them and fled in an unknown direction.
D.C. Fire and EMS transported those victims to a local hospital. One other victim walked himself to a nearby hospital.
The victims did not provide a description of the suspect(s). Police are continuing to investigate this shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099 or text 50411.
2 injured in shooting at Bowie State University homecoming event, Maryland State Police say
Maryland State Police are investigating after two men were injured in a shooting at Bowie State University during its Homecoming festivities Saturday night.
At approximately 11:45 p.m., officers responded to Henry Circle near the Center for Business and Graduate Studies for a report of a shooting. A shelter-in-place was issued for the school beginning at 11:30 p.m. and was lifted around 3 a.m.
They later discovered that two individuals – both 19-year-old men – had been reported injured in the shooting and taken to the hospital.
During a news conference Sunday morning, police said one weapon was recovered at the scene but they do believe there was more than one shooter.
It's been confirmed that the suspects involved were not students at Bowie, police say. They are following up on leads.