Class Conflict Takes Its Toll in Southeast

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Much of the public response has been an outpouring of sympathy for the slain boy and his family. Fenty has vowed that justice will be done and offered to pay for DeOnte's funeral, which is Saturday.

Residents of Walter Washington Estates are saddened, too, but for the Haskel family as well as DeOnte's.

"James is a good father," said Kenneth Reid, a property manager who lives next door to Haskel. "He takes the neighborhood kids on outings, plays with them and participates in trash pickup campaigns."

Reid's wife, Chele, added: "He bought that minibike for his daughter, who is 14, same age as the boy who was shot. His daughter is his best friend. But he loves all children, and all the children around here love him."

When a bicycle and two skateboards were taken from the Reids' home not long ago, their 13-year-old son risked his safety, unbeknown to his parents, to scour the neighborhood for the stolen goods. "I guess it's a natural reaction to go look for your things," Chele Reid said.

Asked what good the fence was, Kenneth Reid said: "It keeps the honest people out."

To protect residents from possible retaliation for DeOnte's death, uniformed D.C. police officers have been assigned to Walter Washington Estates round-the-clock. For the first time anyone can recall, a week passed without a crime.

E-mail:milloyc@washpost.com

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