Fenty Says Police Plan To Add More Foot Patrols

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) yesterday denounced the weekend violence in which four people were killed, including a 17-month-old and a 15-year-old, and announced that officers will walk more beats in an effort to enhance community policing.

"Are there far too many shootings? No question about it, " Fenty said. "This is the type of violence on the streets of the District of Columbia that is intolerable."

He and Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes said that starting this week, each of the city's seven police districts will identify a group of officers who will be dedicated to patrolling on foot, augmenting the officers currently walking a beat.

Gunfire in the Brightwood neighborhood about 1 a.m. Sunday left Jonathon Franklen, 15, dead and two other male youths, ages 14 and 15, in the hospital. Officials said the incident began with an argument at 14th and U streets NW and ended near a bus stop at 14th Street and Colorado Avenue NW.

Police said the shooting happened when a bronze-colored long-bed pickup with tinted windows pulled up nearby. Two men, described as 20 to 30 years old, got out of the truck and approached the teens, shooting.

Police said 11 people were shot over the weekend.

Fenty said the city needs to focus on helping young people find responsible recreation and employment.

"How many of [the shootings] could we have prevented? We don't know," Fenty said of the recent violence. "But we have to do a better job than we are. Each week we have to put more officers on the streets and keep more young people out of trouble."