REGIONAL BRIEFING

Sunday, August 31, 2008

MARYLAND

Woman Dies of Gunshot Wounds

A 28-year old woman who was found shot on Thursday near Laurel died the next day, Prince George's County police said yesterday.

Kanika Powell, 28, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at her home in the 8900 block of Merrill Lane.

-- Aaron C. Davis

Police Urge Caution After Attack

Prince George's County police asked schoolchildren to walk in groups and report suspicious activity after an attempt Friday to sexually assault a 15-year-old girl walking home from Suitland High School.

The suspect confronted her with a knife on a wooded path near the 5000 block of Silver Hill Road, police said. He forced her into a tunnel and tried to sexually assault her, police said. He then fled and the girl ran. The attacker wore a black T-shirt, black cargo pants, black stocking cap, and black-and-gray DC sneakers. He covered his face with a gray shirt.

"I'm asking parents and guardians to plan for children to walk together in groups and to report suspicious incidents to an adult or authorities immediately," said police Maj. Daniel Dusseau.

-- Aaron C. Davis

VIRGINIA

Va. Tech Tries to Boost Diversity

Virginia Tech plans to invest almost $1 million over the next five years to increase ethnic diversity on campus.

A report said the school will spend $899,000 to implement task force recommendations calling for more faculty, greater minority student recruitment efforts, outreach and curriculum changes. Last fall, Virginia Tech's black student enrollment was 4.6 percent, third lowest among the state's 15 four-year public universities, according to the State Council of Higher Education. Hispanic enrollment ranked in the bottom half.

Tech Provost Mark McNamee formed the task force in 2006, in response to protests over the announced departure of a black political science professor who received a negative tenure review.

The task force's plan calls for multiple faculty hires in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years to add minority professors and provide mentors to those already on the faculty.

Overall enrollment of blacks at Virginia Tech has declined since 2003, when the board of visitors voted to end affirmative action in hiring and student enrollment. The board quickly reversed the decision, but black freshman enrollment plummeted and has been slow to recover.

-- Associated Press

DISTRICT

Shootings Leave Two Men Dead

Two men were fatally shot early yesterday at separate locations in Southeast Washington, police said.

Gemel L. Williams, 27, of the 300 block of Parkland Place SE was found about 1:20 a.m. in the 500 block of Newcomb Street SE. The other man was found about 3 a.m. in the 3400 block of 22nd Street SE. His name was withheld until relatives could be notified. The shootings happened less than two miles apart, but there was no indication of a link.

-- Martin Weil

Man Arrested in Killing of Teenager

A 19-year-old man was arrested yesterday in the fatal shooting of a teenager Wednesday, D.C. police said.

They said Johnny Lee Graves was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Ralph Dale Hodge Jr.,17. The victim, who lived on Blaine Street NE, was found in the 4800 block of Benning Road SE shortly after 5 p.m. No address for Graves was available.

-- Clarence Williams