DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md. — Neighbors in Prince George's County are expressing concerns over safety. This is after two different fatal shootings over the past few weeks in District Heights and surrounding areas.
WUSA9 talked with over a dozen people over the past several weeks about their feelings, but the fear is so deep that not everyone is willing to speak on camera about the gun violence.
“It’s terrible how things have become," a woman who lives in District Heights, Tracey Foy said.
Tracey Foy still walks her dogs with the thought of public safety on her mind because of recent crime.
“Years ago we didn’t have to, we weren’t so aware of our surroundings," Foy said. "You have to be aware now because things are happening everywhere all the time.”
Prince George’s County Police are searching for the person who shot and killed 19-year-old Anthony Ward III and injured two others outside of a grocery store on Marlboro Pike in the unincorporated section of District Heights.
“It’s nothing unusual," said Thomas Waddell, a man who lives in Capitol Heights.
WUSA9 obtained surveillance video of the Marlboro Pike shooting, which shows Ward walking behind a U-Haul van, along with the other two victims. The video shows 3 to 4 men getting out of a black car before shooting at Ward.
Some neighbors are becoming numb to the number of shootings and homicides that happen in District Heights.
“From when I came in 2016 it wasn’t as much going on but now it’s just terrible," Foy said.
Less than two weeks ago, another shooting left a 14-year-old dead and two other people wounded on Atwood Street.
“I done seen 'em get killed right here in this parking lot, right here on this parking lot, get shot up in the buildings around here," said a man who lives near one of the triple shootings.
“The calls that I have to make to family members, constantly over gun violence especially losing children has been one of the hardest things in this position," Prince George’s County Councilwoman Krystal Oriadha said.
Prince George’s County Councilwoman Krystal Oriadha says she’s tired of witnessing the same thing over and over again — and now the County Council is starting the county’s first-ever gun violence task force.
“It’s going to take policy, it’s going to take investment in resources and then it’s really going to take ‘stop, think, bring everyone to the table and really dive deep into the issue and that’s what we’re doing right here in Prince George’s county and I’m hopeful that we get some really good recommendations," Oriadha said.
Oridaha said the first gun violence task force meeting is Wednesday. They will work over the next year to think about long-term strategies around gun violence.
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