A senior at Bell Multicultural High School was shot and killed on Sunday morning.  The incident occurred at the corner of Columbia Road and Sherman AVenue NW.  The eighteen year old student, Edwin Ventura, was shot five times.

Ventura lives in the 1400 block of Harvard Street.  A friend of his was also wounded in the incident.

Edwin Ventura

For more information please refer to the following reports:

• High School Senior Killed In Northwest DC, NBC 4
• High School Senior Killed in Northwest, Washington Post
• Latino Shot Dead Columbia & Sherman, Jim Graham's Statment

Police Shuts Down Solo Restaurant After Officer Stabbed

In another rash of violence, a Metropolitan Police Officer was stabbed and another Special Police Officer was assaulted inside Solo's Restaurant and Carryout (3566 14th Street NW).  The incident occured on April 20, 2007.  Two people were charged in the incident, nineteen year old Jose (Tito) Diaz and thirty-four year old Jose Villalta.  Solo's Restaurant has subsequently been shut down.  For more information please read:

• Columbia Heights eatery shuts after two assaults, Examiner
• Statement from Metropolitan Police Department

Comments

Written by Question on 2007-04-24 16:44:58 Sort of sad to see that the death of our neighbor attracts so much less attention from this board than the death of a deal for an upscale grocery store.

Written by cheshire on 2007-04-24 18:20:58   I was thinking the same thing. I don't know if people become numb to tragedies like this or they just feel helpless to affect them (although maybe the energy for Whole Foods petitions could be channeled to neighbhorhood watches.)    While it is certainly not a solution to all the neighborhood problems, no matter WHAT stores come to DC USA, the increased foot traffic should make the area safer for everyone.

Written by on 2007-04-24 20:28:14 In the webmaster's defense, the story about Whole Foods has been up for days, and this one about the murder was just posted this evening, just backdated.     Regardless, this is an awful story. It's unfortunate that violence is so rampant in our city. I definitely agree with Cheshire's point - more residents/more retail and attractions in the neighborhood hopefully means a safer environment.

Written by on 2007-04-24 20:29:58 Check that - I meant a full day, not "days". This article just went up this afternoon, despite being dated Monday...

Written by rick on 2007-04-25 07:17:34 Here's a post from Jim Graham on CH Groups. Kind of scary how much violence there's been.  ----------------------  Dear Friends:    Police from the Gang Intervention Partnership were in the area of 11th and Columbia, and pulled over a car with 5 Latinos. I am told that from this car a shot was fired just blocks away. As a result, 5 arrests were made, and a weapon was seized.    This is under investigation in terms of a possible relationship to the murder of Edwin Ventura the other night at Columbia and Sherman. IT is certainly reassuring that these five persons are under arrest.    In an unrelated shooting, at 14th and Girard, a person fired a gun. Although there was a crowd in the vicinity, no one has yet come forward with information.    No one was hurt in either incident, thank God.    I went to both of the crime scenes.    Thanks for the splendid police work of the GIP!    Bests, Councilmember Jim Graham

Oh shut it, Jim! Written by on 2007-04-26 00:23:10 How about some foot patrols damn it!? I haven't seen one on 14th Street, ever!    Splendid police work??     How about some PREVENTATIVE police work. A show of force is what's needed, that Columbia Heights is not going to tolerate this nonsense now.    Not Councilmember Graham telling us that he showed up to the crime scenes. For what? For clean up duty?     The bullets have been shot, someone has already died, you too damn late Councilmember.    What Mr. Graham needs to do is stop wasting time showing up for photos ops and get to work on getting us some foot patrols like they have in every other part of this city.

Written by Email him on 2007-04-26 12:13:37 Ernesto, I generally speaking agre. You should email the Council Man, he usually replies pretty fast. Having said that, I've seen some bike cops on 14th, but clearly not enough. Also, its seems the police only intervene if threse is already a fight going on, or something bad has already happened... :(

Written by Anon on 2007-04-26 15:53:30 "Sort of sad to see that the death of our neighbor attracts so much less attention from this board than the death of a deal for an upscale grocery store."    I was about to post the same thing, except without the "sorta". Question, I hope this message board is self-selecting and not indicative of where the neighborhood is going.

Written by No we ARE pissed on 2007-04-28 23:55:12 There's been a lot talk actually on the other boards regarding the shootings. There's a new Inspector at 3D substation and she just arrived in the middle of it and is getting her bearings on what's situation.    No, trust this is not acceptable to anybody to lose ANY kid (good student nor knucklehead) to senseless acts like this.    And definitely not to me, and I am certainly going to email our Councilmember Graham.

I rather hear about the Whole Foods and Written by on 2007-05-10 15:42:25 I just moved to DC and lived around crime my whole life. I love the Columbia Heights neighborhood and all the good that is going on. But I am tired of hearing about crime. It's sad that young man died, but I rather hear good things about the community. I am an urban person and rather not live all the way out in Fredricksburg so that I would not be around all the crime. I would rather see C. Heights cleaned up. I agree that more foot protrol should be done. More officers city wide. I would also see that those who will not take care of there community out of here, not matter how long they have lived here. I have lived in place were people can care less about there community and were gangs try to take over. Gang members don't pay property taxes, so why in the hell are they shooting and killing for. Gangs members are so f_ing stupid to me. Anyway, I am sick of the crime, let's weed out the bad. Let us fight crime. Let's continue to revitalize our community. Let's do it together.

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