D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey, an otherwise amiable fellow, is in a snit, because I have been calling attention to bullet-riddled dead bodies that have been showing up on our streets since the beginning of the year. As of yesterday, the total was 55, up 8 percent over the same time last year.
The chief thinks I'm being unfair and something of an alarmist, to boot. Success, he would have you believe, is measured by comparison. Think of where we were 10 years ago, when the streets were really running red with blood, he would say. And, by golly, he has a point. The numbers, since a decade ago, are down.
'Course, I wouldn't care to advance that rosy claim to families of today's victims. And the chief shouldn't look for any pats on the back. Fifty-five homicides in 95 days isn't exactly something to cheer about.
Ramsey and I could go back and forth all day about the homicide rate and what it means to the average citizen on the street. He would argue that many of the murders are drug- or crime-related, with the victims and shooters knowing each other. But, I would ask, what about the stray bullets, frightened neighbors, heartbroken survivors, the public health and safety costs of all those murders? And around and around we'd go.
But, in fact, homicides, as grisly as some of them are, don't portray the whole crime picture or explain why, the chief's assurances notwithstanding, there is still much fear on the streets.
Many of the crimes committed in our city today -- robberies and assaults with deadly weapons -- hardly ever get mentioned in the newspaper or on television and radio. That's because they are too common, and because no one dies.
Now draw near, dear reader, and consider what has occurred in our nation's capital in a three-day periodsince we met last Saturday.
Easter Sunday, March 31.
800 block Fifth Street NW.
Two suspects approach a man from the rear, put a handgun to his head and state: "Give me your money." They get what they wanted and flee.
800 block Third Street NW.
A man is approached by a knife-wielding man who states: "Give me your money." The knife-wielder gets it, including a bag with a Palm Pilot, and flees.
Delaware Avenue and M Street SW.
A man jumps in front of a vehicle and tells the driver he has been carjacked. The driver unlocks his door in order to assist. The man jumps in, produces a black handgun, puts the driver out and drives off with the driver's wallet and car.
3400 block 17th Street NW.
A citizen is approached from behind by a man who produces a shotgun and states: "Give me what you have in your pockets." The man then strikes the citizen in the face and snatches a bag and drives away.
1400 block East Capitol Street SE.
A man approaches a citizen, produces a handgun and demands his wallet, money and credit cards. He gets everything.
200 block 16th Street NE.
Four men approach a citizen's vehicle. One of the men produces a handgun and points it at the citizen, who flees the scene in his car.
1600 block E Street SE.
A man armed with a black semi-automatic handgun approaches a citizen and states: "You know what time it is." He then strikes the citizen about the face with the gun. The man and a companion take the citizen's money and flee.
Monday, April 1.
1200 block Van Buren Street NW.
A citizen is approached from the rear by two men. One brandishes a silver handgun and pushes the citizen to the ground stating: "Give up the money." The man then reaches into the citizen's pocket and steals money and a cell phone.
1100 block W Street NE.
A man produces a handgun, demands that a citizen go to an ATM and withdraw money. This is done, the man takes the cash, the citizen's wallet, and then he flees.
4200 block Sixth Street SE.
A citizen reports that an unknown suspect shot him several times in the right leg.
Tuesday April 2.
4600 block Windom Place NW.
A citizen is approached from the rear. A man points a handgun at his chest and demands money. The citizen complies and is told to keep walking and not to turn around.
5200 block 44th Street NW.
Two citizens walking together are approached by two men. One is brandishing a black handgun. Cash is demanded, the citizens comply, and the two men flee.
16th and Euclid streets NW.
A citizen walking through the park is approached by a man who asks for money. When he is told the citizen doesn't have any, the man pulls out a knife and says: "You better get me the money." The citizen flees.
Seventh and R streets NW.
Five men wearing masks approach a citizen, knock him to the ground, take his money and flee.
1100 block Stevens Road SE.
A citizen reports that a man approached him armed with a handgun and shot him in the shoulder and thigh.
6800 block Eastern Avenue NW.
Nine men surround a citizen, one punches him in the face and takes a CD player. They flee.
600 block Chesapeake Street SE.
Two citizens report that a man pointed a shotgun at them.
4100 block Livingston Road SE.
A citizen is approached from the rear by two men. One is armed with a handgun. They take money from the citizen's pockets.
It goes on and on like this through the rest of the week. Mind you, I've excluded reports of homicides, sexual assaults, auto thefts, burglaries, thefts from homes and cars, of which this city has experienced hundreds since last Saturday.
This, sad to say, is the kind of stuff the downtown booster crowd, the mayor and the police chief would just as soon not see portrayed prominently in a newspaper. Write, instead, about Marion Barry, the Middle East, the school system, cherry blossoms -- anything but crime and violence.
But this is precisely what too many residents in our city have to live with -- if they manage to live, at all.
And averting our gaze or wishing it away just won't do.
e-mail: kingc@washpost.com
