Police to Step Up Patrols After Violence

"We're frustrated, but we are redoubling our efforts to bring peace and tranquility back to the streets citywide," the mayor declared.

The first homicide occurred at 12:30 a.m. yesterday at Eighth and Yuma streets SE. Police said Kenneth Walley, 31, of the 3900 block of Eighth Street SE was found with a gunshot wound.

At 12:55 a.m., police were called to the 3000 block of Stanton Road SE, where they found the body of Billy Evans Middleton, 28. He had been shot in the head.

The shooting at Montello and Morse happened next. Police did not release the victim's name pending notification of relatives.

The fourth homicide victim was found at 4 a.m. in the 2400 block of Elvans Road SE and identified as Eric C. Woods, 20, of Capitol Heights.

The other overnight attacks were in Southeast and Southwest, between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. yesterday, police said. Police said they found eight people who had been shot, one of them injured by a ricochet. Two of the gunshot victims, who were found at 2 a.m. in Southwest, might have been shot in Prince George's County, police said. One woman was stabbed.

Last night, in an outbreak of violence hours after the earlier series of shootings, two men were shot about 8 p.m. in the 1900 block of 14th Street SE. A 21-year-old man was hit in the hand and a 19-year-old in the leg, police said.

Police said the men drove themselves to a hospital.

In a second incident, also about 8 p.m., a youth was apparently shot near 42nd and Blaine Streets NE, about a block from the headquarters of the 6th District police station.

Police said an officer at the station might have heard the shot that wounded the youth.

After being shot, the youth ran to the parking lot of the station and was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

Referring to the Friday night and Saturday morning incidents, Groomes said that police saw no links between them but that the availability of guns and warmer weather might have played a role.