Five men were injured in a shooting near the Walter Washington Convention Center in Northwest D.C. Friday night.
Five men were injured in a shooting near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest D.C. Friday night.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. near the intersection of 5th and N streets. Police said that when officers arrived at the scene, three men were found conscious and breathing but suffering from gunshot wounds. All three individuals were taken to a hospital.
Two additional men suffering from similar gunshot wounds were also tied to the Friday shooting by investigators. The pair, however, had arrived at the hospital on their own.
DC police said in an update that all five men had sustained non-life-threatening injuries, adding that detectives assigned to the case do not believe the shooting to be a random act.
Officials are searching for multiple suspects who drove off in a black Honda Accord with D.C. tags, which was last seen in the 1200 block of 5th Street in the District’s Northwest.
The shooting remains under investigation.
Below is a map of the location where the shooting took place:
(Courtesy Google Maps)
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D.C. Police said shots were fired near Howard University on Friday night as the school celebrated its 101st homecoming weekend.
Police Chief Pamela Smith speaks at a news conference on Friday night near Howard University.(Credit 7News)
Police Chief Pamela Smith speaks at a news conference on Friday night near Howard University.(Credit 7News)
Five people were shot Friday night at Howard University as the school celebrated its 101st homecoming weekend.
Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference Friday night that three men, one woman and a teenage boy were found shot around 8:20 p.m. in the600blockofHoward Place NW, near the university’s architecture building. She said none of the people who were shot were students at Howard.
Two suspects are in custody and three weapons were recovered near the scene, Smith said.
She said the five people were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Smith said police has not yet determined what led up to the shooting but investigators are recovering nearby surveillance footage.
“Whetherthey’reyoungpeople or adultswithguns,weneedfolkstoputthesegunsdowninourinourcity.WhatwedoknowisthatthisisHoward’shomecoming,andmostofthehomecomingfestivitiesaroundourcitiesarejoyousoccasionsforourfamiliestocomeoutandenjoyagoodtime,” Smith said.
The university was hosting a welcome reception for alumni just a block away at the time of the shooting.
“We’renotgoingtotolerateindividualscomingintoourcitieswithfirearmsand don’tthinkforonesecondthatwe’renotgoingtolookforyouandsearchforyouandfindyou. Andwhenwedo,wewillholdyouaccountable,” she added.
Police have closed more streets to motorists and pedestrians both ways around the area.
Below is a map of where the shooting took place:
The investigation is ongoing and Smith there is no threat to the community.
This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest.
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A man who police say was caught shoplifting from a Northwest D.C. Safeway has been arrested and accused of slashing an employee with an ax during an attack on Friday.
A man who police say was caught shoplifting from a Northwest D.C. Safeway has been arrested and accused of slashing an employee with an ax during an attack on Friday.
Police responded to the Safeway grocery store at 6500 Piney Branch Road NW for reports of shoplifting and assault just before 10 p.m. Friday, according to a police report.
The man, identified as 37-year-old Andrew Spielman, reportedly began to put items in his backpack when a store employee approached him. The two engaged in a physical altercation, leading to Spielman slashing the employee with a hatchet, police said.
Police said the store employee was taken to a hospital with significant injuries.
The contents Spielman attempted to steal include strawberry ice cream, lemon bread, brisket, milk and other grocery items totaling over $100.
Spielman was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and shoplifting.
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In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax hiked over to the Kalorama area with a can of Play-Doh and some plastic wrap, where he not only uncovered some of D.C.’s coolest hidden fossils, but also got a chance to mold his own ancient souvenirs.
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Discover some of DC’s coolest hidden fossils (and make your own) in Mitchell Park
There’s not usually much activity in Northwest D.C.’s serene Mitchell Park. But did you know the rocky exterior wall holding the park’s hill in place at the corner of 23rd and S streets used to be teeming with prehistoric life?
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax hiked near the Kalorama neighborhood with a can of Play-Doh and some plastic wrap, where he not only uncovered some of D.C.’s coolest hidden fossils, but also got a chance to mold his own ancient souvenirs.
It’s Matt’s latest adventure in a series of fantastic journeys with D.C.’s resident “Fossil Hunter,” Chris Barr.
A lawyer by day for a big D.C. firm, Barr also has a background in geology and dabbles in paleontology, in his quest to uncover all of the locations of what he calls “D.C.’s accidental museum of paleontology.”
Barr started cataloging all the hidden fossil locations of D.C. on his website back in the early 2000s. Although he shut down his blog a few years ago, you can still find an archived version of the website (and detailed descriptions of D.C.’s secret fossil spots) online.
Previously on “Matt About Town,” Matt and Chris have explored:
Come along on this journey, where Matt and Chris explore some of the most visually stunning public fossils of this miniseries yet!
Hear “Matt About Town” first every Tuesday and Thursday on 103.5 FM!
If you have a story idea you’d like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on Instagram and TikTok.
A gas explosion in a D.C. apartment building left a woman seriously injured Friday morning.
Fire crews observing the D.C. apartment building that had a gas explosion on Sept. 20, 2024.
(Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS)
Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS
Items were taken out of the apartment building following the gas explosion.
(Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS)
Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS
Fire crews at a news conference after the gas explosion in a Northwest D.C. apartment on Sept. 20, 2024.
(Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS)
Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS
A gas explosion in a D.C. apartment building left a woman seriously injured Friday morning.
Around 9:30 a.m., D.C. firefighters responded to the third floor of a four-story apartment building near the intersection of Columbia Road and Harvard Court in the Columbia Heights section in Northwest after reports of a gas explosion.
A woman inside the apartment was seriously injured and had to be hospitalized, authorities said.
The building was evacuated and all gas lines were secured.
Later Friday, officials said investigators had determined the blast was an accidental gas explosion.
Below is a map of the area where the gas explosion took place:
(Courtesy Google Maps)
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Experience Z-Burger’s annual Independence Day Burger Eating Championship
What if we told you the best Fourth of July-themed eating competition wasn’t in New York, but right here in the nation’s capital?
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax brought his buns, and his appetite, over to Z-Burger on Wisconsin Avenue in Northwest D.C., to experience the spectacle of the burger joint’s annual Independence Day Burger Eating Championship!
The competition is in its 15th year and counting, and winners from this year’s contest split $6,000 in prize money. But that number isn’t the one that will baffle you.
Matt spoke with Z-Burger owner Peter Tabibian, who told him the restaurant goes through 5,000 patties — about 500 pounds of beef — on a day like this.
Matt also got a chance to see champion eaters up close, including Maryland resident Molly Schuyler, the No. 1 ranked independent competitive eater in the world.
Despite her small frame, Molly has broken eating records across the U.S., and set her sights on a record 10th Z-Burger championship this year.
Competition was stiff, but as Matt found, the amount of burgers contestants like Molly can eat in 10 minutes will shock you.
Come along with him for the wild ride, and check out his video, as he celebrates Independence Day in the most savory of ways.
If you want to learn more about Molly, and find out how the Maryland mom of four continues to shatter the record books, you can follow her YouTube channel, “Mom vs. Food.” You can also follow her on Instagram.
“Matt About Town” airs every Tuesday and Thursday on WTOP at 7:45 a.m., and runs throughout the rest of the day on 103.5 FM. His video pieces are always posted on wtop.com.
7DrumCity is a local business that markets itself as one of the only places in the area for musicians where they are guaranteed to find the time, space and quiet needed for effective practice.
7DrumCity is a local business that markets itself as one of the only places in the area for musicians where they are guaranteed to find the time, space and quiet needed for effective practice.(Courtesy 7DrumCity)
7DrumCity is a local business that markets itself as one of the only places in the area for musicians where they are guaranteed to find the time, space and quiet needed for effective practice.(Courtesy 7DrumCity)
Practicing a musical instrument in a densely populated city such as D.C. can be challenging due to noise restrictions or limited space in apartments and town houses.
Neighbors don’t necessarily want to hear someone playing the drums directly next door, for example.
That’s the foundation for 7DrumCity, a local business that markets itself as one of the only places in the area for musicians where they are guaranteed to find the time, space and quiet needed for effective practice.
It’s like a music sanctuary in the middle of the nation’s capital, explained 7DrumCity director of marketing, Amanda Dove.
“Through music and through community, we can live a more enriched life that’s not so focused on the everyday grind,” said Dove.
It’s located on North Capitol Street in Northwest D.C., right off Florida Avenue.
“D.C. is very much a business-driven city, and 7DrumCity is a reprieve from all of that,” Dove said. “A lot of people call it their second home.”
The business offers a unique blend of community, creativity and musical education, calling itself “D.C.’s premier hub for musicians and hobbyists to learn, rehearse and perform.”
People who want to practice an instrument by themselves can book a room, but there are rooms that can accommodate bands for people.
It is also a place where musicians who teach others bring their students for lessons. And, according to Dove, all the teachers who operate out of 7DrumCity have real-world experience on stage.
“When I was taking music lessons back in the day, my teacher was this little old lady who came to my house and taught me piano,” Dove said. “At 7DrumCity, you’re learning from certified rock stars who have industry knowledge.”
Bands don’t necessarily need to haul in all their equipment when they go there to practice, as rooms include a full drum kit, PA system, guitar amps, a bass amp and an 88-key weighted keyboard.
“Everyone has their unique style and is unabashedly themselves and that’s something that you don’t always get to see in D.C.,” Dove said. “I love that it’s just a comfortable space for everybody to express their individuality.”
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DC Water has lifted a boil water advisory that affected several Northwest D.C. neighborhoods after a large water main break Wednesday afternoon.
DC Water has lifted a boil water advisory that affected several Northwest D.C. neighborhoods after a large water main break Wednesday afternoon.
DC Water is instructing customers in the previously impacted area to run cold water taps for 10 minutes before using, if water was not used at all during the advisory. They are also instructing those customers to discard food, beverages or ice prepared with water that was not boiled during the advisory.
The advisory affected 4,800 customers in some neighborhoods in Upper Northwest D.C., including Upper Chevy Chase, Ft. Reno, American University, Spring Valley, Friendship Heights, Westover Place, Wakefield, North Cleveland Park, Palisades, Wesley Heights, Foxhall Crescent, Foxhall Village, Hawthorne, Barnaby Woods and Chevy Chase.
The boil water advisory was issued as a conservative, precautionary measure to protect public health, DC Water said. The water main break caused a loss of water pressure, which could allow bacteria and other disease-causing contaminants to enter the system.
Bacteria and other disease-causing contamination such as viruses and parasites can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms, which could pose health risks to vulnerable groups, the utility said in a news release.
The boil water advisory was lifted after tests confirmed that drinking water meets all water quality safety standards.
WTOP’s Jack Moore, Mike Murillo and Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.
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A 6-foot-wide, 600-square-foot listing in Northwest D.C. quickly went viral, with some amazed by the finished product and others criticizing the home.
With only a 6-feet-wide, 20 feet in length lot to work with, Virginia-based contractor Omnifics decided they could build a two-story home which could fit a bedroom, kitchen, living room and a bathroom.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
This 600-square-foot home doesn’t face the street, with a back entrance through a gate.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
The 6-feet-wide home can’t fit a dining room table, but it does have a built-in breakfast bar.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
The living room gets plenty of light, with windows surrounding the small sitting area.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
The full bathroom upstairs features floor-to-ceiling porcelain tiles and a standing glass-walled shower.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
The upstairs bedroom features a closet and space for bedside tables despite its diminutive size.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
The 600-square-foot house still features outdoor space, with a five-foot-wide deck surrounded by wooden fencing.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
The tiny house is tucked away on a side street, Glick Court, in the Northwest D.C. Shaw neighborhood.
(Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes)
Courtesy Andre Rowe/Jennifer Young Homes
The housing market has been tough, but in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood one home may be someone’s chance to get into a brand-new single-family home. But there is a catch — it’s only six feet wide.
Nady Samnang, CEO of a contractor based out of Virginia called Omnifics, said when he and his brother had the opportunity to acquire the small lot at 1738 Glick Ct. NW, they knew it would be a tight area to build on. However, they thought they could make it work on a 14 to 15-feet-wide foundation.
“That original idea was supposed to be a four-level single family home,” Samnang said.
Then, after work had begun, he said the city threw a new challenge their way — approving a structure that was six feet wide, which is essentially the width of a driveway.
“We almost walked away at that point,” Samnang recalled.
But he said after talking with his brother and their team, they made the call to accept the challenge and got to work drawing up the plans for the 600-square-foot home.
He said with 45 feet in length to work with, they decided they could build a two-story home which could fit a bedroom, kitchen, living room and a bathroom. The next struggle was constructing the home in the tiny lot.
“When you have a 10,000-square-foot house, you’ve got plenty of room to bring in equipment to bring in crew to bring and all the materials, but here you see the lot, it’s basically a parking spot,” he said.
A year and a half after accepting the skinny home challenge, the home was built. Once listed, the listing quickly went viral, with some amazed by the finished product and others criticizing the home.
Samnang said he read the comments from the naysayers and encourages the critics, even if they are not interested in buying the home, to take a tour of the home, which is a proud accomplishment for his team.
“If we got one thing wrong, the entire house would have failed. But our architects and our builders and my brother, our crew, we really nailed it down to the centimeter,” he said.
He also believes the plans for this home could be a blueprint for developing more homes in smaller spaces. Samnang said some of his research included looking at similar homes built in cities like Seoul and Tokyo.
“I think what we need to do is think smaller, think micro-living, think simple living,” he said.
The home was originally listed at $630,000 and is now down to $599,900, but Samnang said he believes it will sell, when the right buyer is found.
“I’m looking for someone who maybe likes that high rise, condo/apartment-type feel but without the condo fee, without the HOA fee and without neighbors,” he said.
He also said with the slim footprint, it also has an outdoor space which is 5-feet wide.
Looking back he said he’s proud that they were able to bring the one bedroom, one-and-a-half bath home to life in that space, but joked this sort of project may be a one and done for him.
“I may never do something like that again, because it was just so hard to do,” Samnang said with a laugh.
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