[WardFive] More Metro Trouble

Friday, 29 January 2016

[WardFive] More Metro Trouble

I agree that this action is unacceptable. It is time for us as a community to talk with parents, siblings, churches and organizations to support our citizens, schools, police and firefighters.

Shirley Rivens Smith, President

North Woodridge Citizens

2000 Upshur St., NE

Washington, DC 20018

202-635-3138

From: MPD-5D@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MPD-5D@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 1:28 PM
To: MPD-5D@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Cat Lady Kelley <olivelover2002@yahoo.com>; Brooklander13 <brooklander13@gmail.com>; michaelthomasian@yahoo.com; <Brookland@yahoogroups.com> <Brookland@yahoogroups.com>; WARD5@yahoogroups.com; Kenyon McDuffie <kmcduffie@dccouncil.us>; Councilman McDuffie Kenyon McDuffie <kmcduffie@public.govdelivery.com>; DC Council Anita Bonds <abonds@dccouncil.us>
Subject: Re: [MPD-5D] Re: [Brookland] More Metro Trouble

How awful and frightening! Looks we are not safe anywhere.

With the escalating violence on Metro trains; I am shocked that the DC Council voted against higher penalties for crimes committed on innocent and random citizens on Metro!

We never know what to expect in this city.

This is sad and totally unacceptable.

We need to ask our city leaders to explain their rationale.

Let's be safe out there. But the sad part is we never know when this type of senseless violence and crime will occur.

We're just trying to get to and from work, and other normal activities. Not knowing we may be subjected to being attacked for just riding Metro.

Sad!

Stephanie

Stephanie "The One" 😎

"We must me willing to let go of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. - J. Campbell

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 29, 2016, at 11:21 AM, Brooklander13 brooklander13@gmail.com [MPD-5D] <MPD-5D@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Awful experience. Glad you are ok.

I warned of this growing behavior back in the fall when a "pack" of youth surrounded my car in the parking lot of TJ Maxx. I was lucky that they only banged on my car (there was damage) and nothing else happened. This is a serious growing problem in or area with youth traveling in groups and hurting people.

Its now escalated to the Metro where there are cameras so clearly the kids don't care about consequences. I have no idea what the solution is short of having more metro police specifically on the RED LINE which is where it seems to be happening. I do hope that when they face the judge they are tried as adults because they are committing adult crimes.

What a disappointment about McDuffie. Its not going to get better unless the consequences are severe to deter the behavior.

I really hope that no one else is hurt by this kind of violence. Be safe as you travel along on your day.

Elise /13th

On Jan 29, 2016, at 9:50 AM, olivelover2002@yahoo.com [Brookland] <Brookland-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Wow! I'm sorry that happened to you Michael. That's very unnerving. I used to take the red line every day for work and never thought this level of aggression could happen esp on crowded well traveled trains but it seems every day there is at least one if not more incidents escalating in violence. The most fearful part of this seems to be that it is for pure sport.

As Rich pointed out yesterday - why aren't there stiffer penalties and why did McDuffie vote against that ? These kids are not afraid of getting caught or of the punishment if they are caught.

It's come down to metro needing to put armed marshals on each of the train cars to manage safety. Or maybe hidden cameras in each car w human monitoring at the stations. Metro is on notice that there are random violent attacks - the gentleman who reported the gallery place incident said it took 10 min to find a metro person to report the incident to.

If metro or mpd doesn't crack down on this now we might all have to resort to start carrying our own weapons of choice to just feel safe and be able to help someone else in need.

Kelley on monroe

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 29, 2016, at 12:42 AM, michaelthomasian@yahoo.com [Brookland] <Brookland-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

This evening I had a terrible and frightening experience on the red line. I boarded a train at Brookland at about 4:45 PM. A group of approximately 20 high school students (male & female) boarded the same train at NOMA. The group boarded screaming obscenities.They immediately began harassing and terrorizing fellow passengers. They messed with me a bit (took the hat off my head, took videos of me, screamed in my face, etc) and later bothered another gentleman, and eventually a third person which resulted in physical violence. Almost all of the group was involved in the violence- swearing, screaming, kicking and punching, laughing, and again taking pictures and videos. I tried my best to pull some teens off of the man. I couldn't get off at Union Station because I was blocked in. I eventually got off at Judiciary Square and reported the incident to metro police.

I have lived and worked in Brookland for nearly 16 years. This is the first time I have experienced an incident of this magnitude.