The tragic shooting of two members of the National Guard on Wednesday could lead to major patrolling changes in the District.
WASHINGTON — DC residents are getting ready for more National Guard in DC.
President Donald Trump made the announcement just hours after 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom were ambushed and shot Wednesday afternoon in Downtown DC.
The announcement extends an already three-month-long deployment where more than 2,200 National Guard members from several different states were brought into DC.
On Thanksgiving night, Beckstrom died from her injuries.
Now troops may be temporarily paired with MPD officers, according to The Washington Post.
MPD sources tell WUSA9 they’re still working out the logistics with no clear plan just yet.
When asked, the President says the District needs more troops.
“This was done because the National Guard has been so effective,” Trump argued. “You know, you went from having a tremendous amount of crime and death, killing everything else, to having none.”
However, although crime and homicides have gone down since the National Guard arrived in DC, numbers from MPD and federal data also show that crime was on a downward trend long before troops arrived.
Now, after months of watching the National Guard at work, some residents are questioning the value of more troops in DC.
“At the end of the day, he’s the Commander in Chief of the United States, so if he sees some good in it, so be it,” said Franco Pop.
“I think it’s going to bring more problems,” said Joseph. “I think it’s going to cause more problems than bring solutions.”
“I’ve seen the National Guard pick up trash, I’ve seen the National Guard intimidate people just by being around in militarized gear, making everyone uncomfortable, and I’ve seen no evidence of them doing anything for the community,” said Susanna Sacks.