Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Crickets on the CH Listserv

As any subscriber to the CH listserv, or any avid reader of the Craigslist "Rants and Raves" section, knows, there was a disturbing report of a mugging in the DC USA parking garage published online.

This blog has, up until this point, declined to write about it because we were waiting to see if this was just another rumor, or if Inspector Delgado would confirm the report.

On Sunday, someone sent the item to the CH listserv. The same day, Councilmember Jim Graham asked Inspector Delgado to review the report. And since then, nothing but crickets on the listserv.

We checked the 3D substation crime reports and saw nothing that looked like this mugging, so why then have we not had this rumor put to rest or confirmed? Why has it been two days since anyone responded? What happened to Councilmember Graham's concern? Do you, fellow CH residents, think we should expect a quick response on this question, or should we leave Insp. Delgado and the rest of the 3D officers alone to fight crime? Does the whole listserv have a right to know? The Heights Life comments section is open for discussion.

An update from the comments section: "For what it is worth -- I received an email from CM Graham & Insp. Delgado. MPD did follow up on this rumor with the shopping center and there have been no reports of muggings in the garage. Apparantly people just enjoy spreading these rumors and wasting community resources. I don't know why people do this -- perhaps they are anti-development or just enjoy sowing the seeds of controversy, but it is incredibly irresponsible. MPD does have an obligation to respond to the community's concerns. But folks really need to be aware that much of this talk about predators roaming the DCUSA garage and stores is false."

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Moreover, there were eight cop cars outside DCUSA last night around 8:00. Anyone know the story?

Speaking of police, minutes of this month's NCHCA meeting re: crime are up:

http://northcolumbiaheights.googlepages.com/minutesarchives

Anonymous said...

I sent an email to CM Graham about this incident and have not yet heard back (I sent the email recently). I too have been wondering why we have not heard any follow-up. Although I have no desired to unecessarily tarnish my neighborhood's reputation, I would like to know whether this incident occurred. If nothing else, MPD should respond quickly to these types of inquiries to keep the rumor mill under control.

Great blog!

Anonymous said...

Agree w/ euclid resident. This is akin to the rumor that was floating around about people getting mugged as they exited Target right after it opened. That got squashed pretty quickly. The longer this lingers, even if it is false, the more damage it will do.

Anonymous said...

For what it is worth -- I received an email from CM Graham & Insp. Delgado. MPD did follow up on this rumor with the shopping center and there have been no reports of muggings in the garage. Apparantly people just enjoy spreading these rumors and wasting community resources. I don't know why people do this -- perhaps they are anti-development or just enjoy sowing the seeds of controversy, but it is incredibly irresponsible. MPD does have an obligation to respond to the community's concerns. But folks really need to be aware that much of this talk about predators roaming the DCUSA garage and stores is false.

Maybe we should also have a discussion of why people are engaging in this ridiculous behaviour.

Anonymous said...

Here's one thought on the "ridiculous behavior," and I suggest one reason has to do with changing media rather than malicious intent. I don't know how these stories get started, but most humans talk to their friends and acquaintances, share stories, and yes, discuss "rumors" and other unsubtantiated claims. In the pre-blog world, at most a story like this would travel among friends, co-workers, and eventually die out without most people really ever hearing it. But now thanks to blogging, someone can hear something that a friend told a friend told a friend and then post that information. Because a mugging at the garage WOULD have been important news to get out, that's probably why that person passed on the information. I agree that care should be taken, but I assume that when unsubstantiated stories like this get out, it's more due to human nature, juicy stories, and/or an attempt to inform rather than purposely sowing the seeds of anti-development controversy or whatever.
Who knows.

Anonymous said...

Anyone know what was going on last night (April 24) at the columbia heights metro around 6:15 pm?

policemen were literally streaming into the station as i was walking down the (perenially stopped) escalator.