Armed Robberies in Southwest

View November 2011 SW Armed Robberies in a larger map

Over the past two weeks, four armed robberies have been committed in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood according to The Washington Post. The latest incident occurred on Sunday night at 4th & M Street. All four armed robberies appear to be related - each occurred in the evening with 3-5 suspects against one victim. A map showing the location of each robbery is above. MPD made an arrest after the Sunday incident when one of the suspects, a juvenile, was apprehended when the police gave chase to the youth as he tried to run away on M towards South Capitol Street (which passes by First District HQ). In this case, the victim's items were recovered. The other suspects are still at large.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIME (1-888-919-2746). The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any armed robbery committed in the District of Columbia. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to DC CRIME SOLVERS at 1-866-411-TIPS and to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. If the information provided by the caller to the Crime Solvers Unit leads to an arrest and indictment, that caller will be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Update: A fifth armed robbery occurred on Thursday night.  The map has been updated with information from that incident.

A Couple Quick Items: Commander Kamperin Retires, King Memorial Celebration

- MPD's First District Commander David Kamperin announced his retirement last week after 32 years of service in law enforcement (almost 26 years with MPD). In his email announcing his retirement, Kamperin mentions some of his accomplishments as commander:

Over the past nearly four years we have accomplished many things within the First District: increased foot patrols throughout the community, decreased response time for calls for service, improved customer service, enhanced Community Policing within the Patrol Service Areas and annual crime reductions. In 2010, through the dedication and efforts of the men and women of the First District, working closely with the community, 1D received the Department’s Crime Reduction Award.

First District Headquarters moved from 4th and E Street in 2009 to the former Bowen Elementary School along M Street.  The former headquarters building was demolished and the city's new Consolidated Forensic Laboratory is rising on the site. 

Kamperin's last day will be May 21, but the Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) for 1D will hold an event this evening at 7pm.  The event will take place in the community room at 1D HQ.

- The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is getting closer to completion along the Tidal Basin and plans are underway to celebrate the opening in August. The Washington Post reports there will be a week-long celebration leading to the unveiling on August 29th. The dedication will take place on the 48th anniversary of King's "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Here are some details from the article:

The dedication will take place at 11 a.m. in West Potomac Park, near the site of the memorial, which is on Independence Avenue, southwest of the World War II Memorial. There will be musical tributes in the park before and after the dedication. Among the week’s events, a public expo marking King’s legacy will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Aug. 25-28.The memorial will also have an inscription wall, water features, landscaping and a bookstore and visitors center. Reserved tickets to the dedication will be distributed through an online lottery system, the foundation said. People can request up to two tickets by visiting DedicateTheDream.org. Visitors must register by 11:59 p.m. on May 31 to be included in the lottery. Ticket recipients for the seated and reserved standing areas will be notified by e-mail on June 15. Public standing areas that do not require tickets will also be available.

Homicide at Greenleaf Gardens

According to a news release from MPD, 28-year old Gregory Joyner was killed at the 200 block of K Street last night around 9:15pm due to multiple gun shot wounds. From the news release:

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIME (1-888-919-2746). The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to D.C. CRIME SOLVERS at 1-866-411-TIPS and to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. If the information provided by the caller to the Crime Solvers Unit leads to an arrest and indictment, that caller will be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

The scene of the shooting was located about two blocks away from MPD's First District headquarters, which relocated from 4th & E Streets last year.

In other crime news, an arrest was made last Friday in the fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred on South Capitol Street in Bellevue on November 8th. The suspect, from Fort Washington, Maryland, is charged with Negligent Homicide in the death of 71-year old Duffie Claridy.

Top Southwest Stories of 2009

Despite an economic downturn, several events occurred in The Little Quadrant That Could in 2009...some were major projects that have been ongoing for years, while other events had their start in 2009. Below is a list of what I think were the top stories in Southwest during the past year (in no particular order). Feel free to comment on which of these events you think is the top local story of the year, and/or vote in January's poll at the top left corner of the blog.

Arena Stage Looms Large

Construction on the new Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater was in full swing in 2009 and was getting attention from bloggers around the city. In June, DCMetrocentric gave a critique of the new theater complex and by November, the structure was fully enclosed. Interior work is now taking place and construction is on schedule for a community day event open to the public on October 24, 2010. The following day, there will be a black-tie opening night gala. Above is a construction photo of the new Arena Stage taken in late December.

CFL Drama
Progress was made in 2009 towards creating the city's very own Consolidated Forensic Lab (CFL), but not without delays. On the progress front, MPD's First District moved in April from their old building on 4th Street to their new headquarters on M Street at the former Bowen Elementary School. This move would allow the old headquarters building to be demolished and replaced by the CFL. The city then named Whiting-Turner the contractor for the construction project. However, after the announcement, the mayor had to withdraw the contract after an appeals court ruled that the Mayor skirted city laws when awarding the contract. After more than a five month delay, the city's appellate board dismissed the case a rival contractor had against Whiting-Turner and the city was free to re-award the contract to the same contractor in November and start interior demolition in December. The CFL is now scheduled to open in 2012. Above is a rendering of the CFL, from the CFL website.

Demolition Derby
Several parcels in Southwest were leveled during the past year, but not replaced with new buildings, in order to wait for the recovery of the economy. For example, Vornado demolished the Bernstein Liquors building and other small structures at South Capitol and M Street and paved over the site to serve as a parking lot. Eventually, the developer has plans for a mixed-use project. Along South Capitol Street, the Ruben Companies demolished a gas station and the old Taco Bell/KFC site in September to make way for their planned 1101 South Capitol Street office building, which hasn't gotten underway yet. In December, the old Market Inn restaurant was demolished and will most likely be replaced by an office building. Also in December, interior demolition started at the old First District headquarters building on 4th Street. Above is a photo of the lot owned by the Ruben Companies on South Capitol Street, which was taken this fall after the Exxon gas station on the site was demolished.

First District Moves to New Digs

In April, MPD's First District headquarters moved from 4th & E Street to the former Bowen Elementary School at 1st & M Street. In October, there was an open house to welcome the community. The new site is located in the heart of the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood, whereas the former headquarters was north of the freeway in the Federal Center SW area. Despite moving closer to a crime hot spot, a fatal shooting occurred less than two blocks from the new building in mid-October. Above is a photo of the new First District headquarters building, taken right before it was opened.

Engine 13 Not That Unlucky

In February, three developer teams made presentations to the community to garner support for their proposals for the Engine 13 sites at 4th & E Street and 6th & E Street. DMPED ended up choosing the proposal made by E Street Development in April, following the recommendation of ANC 6D. E Street Development is a combination of Potomac Investment Properties, CityPartners, and Adams Investment Group. Their architect is Beyer, Blinder, Belle. Highlights of the proposal include a partnership with community organizations including Kid Power Inc. and D.C. Central Kitchen, LEED-Silver certification, green roof technology, and neighborhood retail along E Street. Approval of the land lease was delayed by the DC Council over the summer, but final approval was given in November. Construction of the firehouse is supposed to start in August of 2010. Above is a rendering of the proposed fire house/office building complex planned at the corner of 4th & E Street, from the February presentation.

Highlands Library
Bellevue will soon get a new library. The new Washington Highlands library was designed by London architect David Adjaye and will be located at 115 Atlantic Street. Once the community saw the plans for the library, there was some criticism of the design. The new library will be three stories tall, contain approximately 20,000 square feet of space, and will aim for LEED-Silver certification. By the spring of 2011, the new library should be open. Above is a rendering of the Washington Highlands Library, from the DCPL website.

L'Enfant Promenade Renovations Begin
Back in November, the JBG Companies began a $40 renovation of the retail promenade at L'Enfant Plaza. The first phase of renovations will be complete in 2011 and will bring a revamped food court to the corridor nearest the Metro entrance. Subsequent phases of the renovation will include a new sculptural glass entryway and expanded retail options. In addition, the developer has plans to expand L'Enfant Plaza by building two new office buildings, an extended-stay hotel, and an apartment building. Above is a rendering of the renovated food court area, courtesy of JBG.

Southeastern University Shuts Its Doors

A major institution in Southwest closed its doors at the end of August, when Southeastern University lost its accreditation with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools due to financial instability, dwindling enrollment, and a lack of academic rigor. At one point, SEU was in talks with UDC to become a part of that university. Then, it was trying to merge with the GS Graduate School, which is affiliated with the USDA. The University, which had been in existence since the 1800s, had its final graduation ceremony in June. Above is a photo of Southeastern University taken this past summer, located at the corner of 6th & I Streets.

Waterfront Station

Major milestones at Waterfront Station during 2009 included: the topping off of the two office buildings in March; the installation of the glass and terracotta façade; designs for the Metro plaza; the unveiling of the features of the new Safeway; the addition of a sit-down restaurant to the retail mix; and the paving of 4th Street. The first phase of Waterfront Station will open in the first half of 2010, with two office buildings, a new Safeway, CVS, convenience retailers, restaurants, a Metro plaza and a reopened 4th Street. Above is a photo of the 1100 4th Street building taken in the last week of December.

A Peek Inside First District Headquarters

Last night, MPD's First District held an open house to celebrate the opening of their new headquarters building, which is located at 101 M Street in the old Anthony Bowen School. Also, the First District was named best police station this year and October is National Crime Prevention Month, so there was a lot to celebrate. As a part of the festivities, there was a police horse outside of the station, presentations by Commander Kamperin and Council members Wells & Mendelson, catering by Hogate's Cafe, as well as tours of the facility. Below are some photos from the tour I took of the First District HQ. The above photo is a sign on the wall near the entrance to the police station.

(Left) This is the Roll Call room on the second floor, where officers gather to receive their orders. It still looks like a classroom.

(Right) The holding cells are located on the ground level. There are separate holding cell area for men and women.

(Left) Here is a photo of the toilet and sink in the "bullpen," a larger holding cell where groups of prisoners are kept. There were no prisoners held at the First District station during the open house.

Open House at 1D HQ

There will be an open house at the new MPD District 1 Headquarters this Tuesday from 5pm - 8pm. There will be refreshments, music, interactive crime prevention presentations, raffles, door prizes, and guided tours of 1D’s station house. The new headquarters, located at the former Bowen School at 101 M Street, opened in April. The old headquarters building at 4th & E Street will be demolished and replaced by the Consolidated Forensics Laboratory.

Emelina Back in DC

She’s BAAAACK. This morning, I noticed the yacht Emelina was docked at the Capital Yacht Club along the Southwest Waterfront. She was last in DC in June, but since then, readers from DC to Maine have been tracking her progress along the Eastern seaboard. As of Sunday, she was in Philadelphia, making her way back south from spending the summer in New England. When I saw the yacht today, there were five MPD vehicles lined up along the shoreline at East Potomac Park near where she was docked and I found that to be strange. Later, I checked out DCist and they reported that a body has been found on a boat at the Capital Yacht Club. More details to come.

Update: The AP is reporting a man's body was found under a dock this morning around 9am near the Capital Yacht Club and police are investigating.

Update #2: I heard on WTOP radio that the body was that of a 50-year old woman whose father owns a yacht at the Captial Yacht Club. So far, no foul play is suspected.

CFL Update

The Consolidated Forensics Laboratory (CFL) is closer to reality now that several milestones have occurred. MPD moved into their new District 1 HQ building at the former Bowen Elementary School in April. Then, on May 6th, Mayor Fenty announced that Whiting-Turner was selected as the contractor for design-build services for construction of the CFL, worth $148 million. Demolition of the old 1D HQ can start once the contract is approved by the D.C. Council, which could happen as soon as next month. On May 19th, the D.C. Council held a round table on the proposed contract. A vote could happen at the Council's June 2 meeting. Take a look at my post from June 2008 for more details on the CFL and the following link shows what green features will be offered. (Above is a rendering of the new CFL, which will be located at the NW corner of 4th and E Street, from the CFL website)

Update: There's an article in yesterday's Washington Examiner that states Mayor Fenty has withdrawn the Whiting-Turner contract after an appeals court ruled the Mayor skirted city contracting laws when awarding the CFL construction contract to the firm. This latest development may stall construction of the CFL, which was supposed to get underway this spring.

Groundbreaking for Evidence Warehouse at DC Village

Yesterday, according to The Washington Post, there was a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Property and Evidence Warehouse for MPD at DC Village, which is located near the southern tip of the city on the east side of the Anacostia River. This $20 million project will be jointly developed by the city and Akridge (the same developer that will build 100 V Street), and will aim for LEED-Silver certification. The press release from DMPED states the new facility will provide the following features:

• computer-automated storage system for logging and retrieval of evidence
• secure and controlled access to all areas
• video event logging of transactions
• radio frequency handheld portable terminals
• bar code scanning & printing techniques
• refrigerated units for storing DNA samples

Construction will be complete by early 2011. The above rendering of the evidence warehouse is from the OPM website.

1st District HQ Open House Planned

There will be an open house reception for the new MPD District 1 headquarters on Tuesday, June 16th from 6-8pm. Tours of the new facility will be a part of the open house. Last month, Southwest...TLQTC reported on MPD's move to their new digs, located at the corner of M Street and Delaware Avenue - which was formerly Bowen Elementary School. Above is a photo of the HQ building taken in March 2009.

MPD District 1 Moves into New Digs

On Saturday evening, I noticed there were a lot of police cars lined up in front of the new MPD District 1 HQ at the former Bowen Elementary School on M Street. There were balloons out front, so it looked like they were celebrating something, perhaps the completion of their move? Then, on Sunday, I drove by the old HQ building on 4th Street and noticed the front doors were chained shut, orange cones blocked the entrance, signs were posted on the doors, and no police cars could be found, which confirmed my suspicion that the MPD move had occurred. I hope to get inside the new HQ building in the next couple of weeks, so I can check out the new community space that can be used for ANC 6D meetings, SWNA meetings, and other events. Above is a photo of the M Street facade of the new HQ building, which was taken on Sunday, April 5th. See below for some more exterior photos.

Here is a photo of the entrance to the new HQ taken on April 5th, with a fresh coat of paint on the doors and windows, along with new landscaping.

Here is a photo of the side of the building also taken on April 5th, with the old mural still intact and new fencing along Delaware Avenue.

National Marathon Route to Change

The 4th Annual SunTrust National Marathon is scheduled for March 21st, where up to 3,000 marathon runners will traverse all four quadrants of the District on a 26.2 mile course. The route map has been set (click map below to see a larger version - from the national marathon website).

There's just one problem...the 9th Street Bridge is closed for a year due to reconstruction, so the event organizers at the Greater Washington Sports Alliance need to find an alternative route into Southwest. Representatives from the sports alliance were supposed to go before ANC 6D last night in order to get approval for street closures along 9th Street, Maine Avenue, P Street, and South Capitol Street, but now they need to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new route. Time is not on their side, since the ANC doesn't meet again until March 9th and the race is supposed to be held 12 days after that meeting. The ANC's approval carries weight with the Mayor's Special Events Task Group, which has jurisdiction over special events held in the city, including the marathon. According to the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency's (HSEMA) website, event planners are supposed to meet with the Mayor's Special Events Task Group at least 90 days before an event. It's not clear if a change in the marathon route would mean the sports alliance would need to meet again with the task group. In addition, the event organizers need to get the route approved with the Traffic Control Plan from DDOT and complete an application within 15 business days of the event with MPD. The marathon will most likely still happen, but the course map will definitely have to change.

Update: Lou Holder from the Greater Washington Sports Alliance tells Southwest...TLQTC the following:

Our technical team is currently assessing the 9th St construction project and is devising several alternatives. We don’t anticipate any delays in our permit process as we are working closely with public safety officials to find a solution that works for everyone. Our goal has always been strong jurisdictional support, community engagement, and effective communication to ensure a safe and enjoyable event.

Beware the Ides of March...

At tonight's ANC 6D's monthly business meeting, Sean McCarthy from the Office of Property Management (OPM) stated that MPD will start moving into their new District 1 HQ at the former Bowen Elementary School on March 15th, with tours of the facility available for the community in April. McCarthy and Commander David Kamperin from MPD were at the ANC meeting to get approval for a public space permit before going to a zoning hearing next month. They need approval for 17 parking spaces inside MPD's property along Delaware Avenue that already exist, but since the original construction of the spaces was done without getting proper approvals years ago when Bowen was still a school, OPM needs to go through the proper channels to get the spaces approved, which sounds like a technicality to me. There will be a total of 182 parking spaces available to police personnel at the new HQ, compared to 75 spaces at the current HQ, which should have less of an impact on street parking surrounding the new HQ. There will also be four spaces on Delaware Avenue for use by visitors, which won't be metered like the spaces in front of the old HQ building. Instead of meters, these spaces will have a 15-minute to 30-minute time limit, depending on the type of business a visitor needs to do at the HQ. Along with the parking spaces, a seven-foot iron fence will be installed along the Delaware Avenue elevation and part of the M Street elevation, with three gates along Delaware Avenue. It was unclear if there would be fencing on the other elevations as well. The metal fence, while offering security, will give the new HQ building a more open feel than the 10-foot brick wall that is at the current HQ on 4th Street. Lighting will be installed in the parking lot using down lighting, which shouldn't cause light pollution to the neighboring residential buildings. After a little discussion, the ANC approved the public space permit items in a 6-1 vote, with Commissioner Sobelsohn abstaining.

Here's a photo taken yesterday of the entrance to the new District 1 headquarters building at 101 M Street, which is still under renovation.

A second vote related to the community space agreement between MPD and the ANC was approved unanimously. The community room at the new HQ was described to be slightly larger than the sanctuary at St. Augustine's where tonight's ANC meeting was held, and will have items including a 20' x 20' A/V screen, ports for Internet connectivity, and three microphones. Some of the activities that MPD wants to organize, especially for neighborhood kids, include a summer camp, summer school, and movie screenings, among other things.

Next ANC 6D Meeting & 7-Eleven Closing?

Here's a link to the agenda for Monday's ANC 6D meeting, which will begin at 7pm at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church. Southwest-related items on the agenda include the Randall School, 1101 South Capitol Street, the new MPD District 1 HQ, and street closures for two races. 1101 South Capitol Street is the former KFC site where Southwest...TLQTC reported back in August that the Ruben Companies had plans to construct an office building. However, 1101 South Capitol no longer appears on their website on their list of projects. On the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) website, there's a hearing on March 10th where 1101 South Capitol LLC will look for a variance and an exception in relation to a planned office building at the site. Perhaps a new developer has purchased the site? Real estate developers typically use LLCs when developing their projects, so this LLC could still be Ruben Companies, but we'll find out on Monday...

On a related note, District Chronicles reported last month that the 7-Eleven on South Capitol Street will close in a year to make way for new development. The 7-Eleven is owned by Vornado. Already, the Bernstein's Reliable Liquor store on M Street was shuttered last year and a cab company has vacated the site. Last night as I was driving along M Street, I noticed the top floors of the building where the liquor store was located was in the process of being gutted...I think. I'll go by the site again today to see if what I saw was correct (admittedly I was pretty tired when I drove by, so maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me).

(Above is a photo of the liquor store site taken in mid-December and in that photo, it wasn't yet gutted, but it was boarded up)

Update: My eyes were not playing tricks on me...below is a photo of the liquor store site today with the top two floors gutted out and surrounded by fencing.

Update #2: Ruben Companies still owns 1101 South Capitol. However, the ANC tabled discussion about Ruben Companies' requested variance and exception at Monday's meeting since they are still in negotiations with the developer regarding community benefits.

Happy Holidays from Southwest...TLQTC!

MPD has gotten into the holiday spirit by decorating the entryway to the 1st District Headquarters on 4th Street.

Guardian Angels Descend on Southwest

On Saturday evening, the Guardian Angels held its second neighborhood patrol of Southwest. The first neighborhood patrol was on Saturday, November 22nd. Police Service Area (PSA) 104 requested the assistance of the Guardian Angels after recent assaults in SW, including the death of local resident Mark Blank back in October. Both neighborhood patrols met at Potomac Place Tower at 800 4th Street. Community members are welcomed to join the Guardian Angels during the neighborhood patrols - about 40 community members showed up at the November 22nd patrol. The Guardian Angels volunteer their time to help walk the streets and point out safety concerns during their neighborhood patrols. Other areas of the city where the Guardian Angels have been active lately include Trinidad, Columbia Heights, Capitol Hill East, and Brightwood.

On a related note, at last week's SWNA meeting, Sgt. Brad Wagner from MPD stated that robberies have decreased by almost 50% in the past 30 days compared to a year ago, while burglaries have slightly increased during the same time period. Comments from local community list-servs express frustration with the growing crime problem in Southwest and PSA 104 has brought these concerns to light. In response, besides inviting the Guardian Angels on patrols, developers have increased lighting at neighborhood construction sites, MPD has increased foot patrols in problem areas, and a Juvenile Response Unit has been created, since most of these crimes are done by juveniles. We'll see if these measures will help decrease crime in the area.

The Shuttle Bug is Coming!

The SW Action Team, a volunteer problem-solving team trained in 2006 by MPD's Policing for Prevention Division, reports that a Shuttle Bug service for residents living above I Street will be up and running by the week of December 8th. The Shuttle Bug is a temporary bus service that will allow residents to safely get around the construction zone at Waterfront Station since pedestrian access was blocked to the site back in November 2007. Once 4th Street is reopened by March 2010, the shuttle will discontinue service. There will be stops near the entrance to Safeway and the CVS/Bank of America trailer, however, there are Jersey barriers currently blocking the Safeway stop. Negotiations are underway to have those barriers removed in time for the debut of the shuttle service. Once the schedule, map, and routes are available, I'll post the information here, but I would imagine the bus will make a loop from M Street to 6th Street, to I Street, to 3rd Street, and back to M Street. The Shuttle Bug is financed by the DC Government, Waterfront Associates (the developers of Waterfront Station), and Fairfield Residential (developers of The View at Waterfront).

Rash of Assaults in SW

According to this news report from NBC, there have been at least six assaults in SW in the past week, with the most recent attack occurring on Monday evening on the 1000 block of 6th Street. From the news story: "Mark Blank, a 52-year-old government attorney was walking in the 1000 block of Sixth Street Southwest near his home when he was jumped by as many as four people at about 9 p.m. Monday. He was hospitalized in extremely critical condition with swelling in his brain and remained in intensive care Wednesday night. Police said they believe the attack on Blank was one of four committed by the same group within a few hours in a neighborhood near Waterside Mall on Monday night. 'Some were simply just vicious attacks, such as the one on Sixth Street,' Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes said. 'However, some did involve a robbery'...Officials said extra police patrols have been added to the area. Some officers are patrolling the neighborhood on mountain bikes." Teenagers are suspected of perpetrating these assaults.

Forensics Lab Delayed?

According to this article from The Examiner, Council member Mendelson held a hearing today to find out the progress towards creating the Consolidated Forensics Laboratory in Southwest. From the article: "D.C. has set aside tens of millions of federal and local dollars to build itself what officials are promising will be a top-notch crime lab. But the administration scrapped early plans to move the lab to 225 Virginia Ave. SE despite a rent-free lease for the first year of the space." However, the article incorrectly states that the 1st District HQ will move to the Virginia Avenue site. Actually, the 1st District HQ is moving to the former Bowen Elementary School on M Street. There is a construction fence around the school and from what I could tell from walking by the site last week, the retrofit has begun. In fact, this press release from the DC Government from last Wednesday states the following: "Mayor Adrian M. Fenty showcased construction progress the city has made in completing renovating Bowen Elementary School, the relocation site for the Metropolitan Police Department’s First District Station. Renovations at Bowen ES are being completed by the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization (OPEFM) who began working on the project in July 2008. Bowen is currently undergoing the last stage of demolition and is expected to be completed by Jan. 2009." The Consolidated Forensics Laboratory is scheduled to be complete in 2011. You can read my post from June about this project.

Body Found in SW

According to NBC4, MPD discovered a body at 10:30 PM last night along the 300 block of P Street. The cause of death has not been determined yet. Once I find out more about this incident I'll post about it. (Update) According to MPD, the medical examiner said the decedent died of an accidental overdose and no foul play was discovered during the autopsy. (Update #2) According to an article from the Examiner, the decedent was murdered in Prince William County by a heroin overdose and his body was then transferred to the site on P Street. Three people in Manassas have been arrested in the murder. What a bizarre case!