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President Donald Trump on Monday moved to federalize policing in the nation’s capital, following years of unchecked violent crime in Washington, D.C.
The polarizing move has caused an uproar from opponents, and celebrations from supporters who want to see an end to violence in the city. The move comes after Washington has garnered national attention with a string of high-profile incidents in recent months and years that precipitated Trump’s move.
However, not everyone agrees with Trump’s new plan.
Fox News contributor and former D.C. homicide detective Ted Williams is among those who oppose the federal intervention. “While the president may mean well, this is going nowhere fast,” he told Fox News Digital. “D.C. is not a war zone. The lawsuits for constitutional violations are coming. This is overkill.”
He also said criminals will just wait out the federalization, and return when National Guard troops are pulled from the streets.
“Jo Jo and his boys are going on vacation and will return after this crazy experiment ends.”
National Fraternal Order of Police President Joe Gamaldi likes Trump’s plan.
“Their average homicide rate has doubled in the last 10 years. They used to average less than 100 homicides. Now they average over 200,” Gamaldi said, a claim which is backed up by the city’s own data.
“And it’s because you have a radical element on that city council that has defunded their police. They have embraced revolving door criminal justice policies. And frankly, they treated the hardworking men and women of law enforcement in that town like crap. So, of course, they need help. You have to do something, otherwise it’s going to get out of control.”
Below is a list of some of the most notorious crimes the city has seen.
1. Ex-DOGE staffer beaten by teens in attempted carjacking
In the early morning hours of Aug. 3, an ex-Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer was beaten during an attempted carjacking in the city’s Logan Circle neighborhood.
Edward Coristine, known as “Big Balls,” was confronted by a group of teens while out with his significant other. Police said he pushed the woman into his vehicle to protect her and bore the brunt of the wrath of the criminals.
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Nearby patrol officers intervened, and the attackers escaped on foot, but not before Coristine was left bloodied.
A 15-year-old male and a 15-year-old female have been arrested in connection with the crime. They face charges of unarmed carjacking.
2. Congressional intern shot dead
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, was shot June 30 on the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest. He died a day later. He was a student at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst and was interning for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan.
Several people exited a vehicle and began firing shots. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said Tarpinian-Jachym was not the target of the shooting.
A 16-year-old male and an adult female were shot, but both survived. The FBI is assisting MPD in the case’s investigation. No suspects have been captured.
3. Two Israeli Embassy staffers shot and killed
On May 21, two Israeli Embassy staffers were shot and killed while leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum.
The victims were Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli, and Sarah Milgrim, an American.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago was captured immediately. He has been charged not only with the murders, but with federal hate crimes. He allegedly shouted “Free, free Palestine!” while in custody.
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4. Roving teen mob wreaks havoc in Navy Yard neighborhood
On the night of May 17, a mob of about 100 teenagers terrorized the Navy Yard neighborhood a block from Nationals Park.
It was the second such teen takeover in less than a month.
At about 8 p.m., police began receiving calls about disorderly conduct, but the situation quickly turned violent. One group of teens beat two bystanders, punching them, knocking them to the ground and then stomping on them, according to WUSA9.
A similar fight broke out later. Fox News Digital obtained video of the incident:
5. Senior congressional staffer carjacked, robbed in Navy Yard
On May 9, a staffer from California Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs’ office was the victim of an armed carjacking in the Navy Yard neighborhood.
The staffer, who remained unnamed, was robbed of a government-issued iPhone, MacBook, ID and Capitol parking pass.
The next day, the car was recovered, and a 15-year-old juvenile male of Washington was charged with armed carjacking, and a 14-year-old juvenile male of Maryland was charged with carrying a pistol without a license and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
6. House Democrat carjacked at gunpoint in Navy Yard
In late 2023, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, was carjacked by armed, masked men outside an apartment building that is a popular residence for members of congress, also in the Navy Yard neighborhood.
At the time, Cuellar said he made the conscious decision not to fight back for his own safety.
He condemned the crime, calling the criminals “punks with guns,” and touched on soft-on-crime policies, noting that if criminals are put in jail, “you’ve got to lock them up and keep them there.”
7. House Democrat assaulted in apartment elevator
In February 2023, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., was attacked in the elevator of her apartment in the nation’s capital.
Police identified 26-year-old Kendrick Hamlin as the suspect. Craig said Hamlin punched her in the chin and grabbed her by the neck.
Craig said she fended him off with the hot cup of coffee she was carrying.
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Other recent violent crimes include the 2023 beating death of a homeless man with a metal pipe near the Ellipse in Washington’s downtown, and a Metropolitan Area Transit Authority police officer who was stabbed in the face near the D.C. Navy Yard subway station.
Fox News’ Stephen Sorace, Adam Sabes, David Spunt, Charles Creitz, Landon Mion and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
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