WASHINGTON — D.C.’s homicide rate has reached a 20-year high.
On Monday afternoon, police received calls for reports of a shooting. Officers arrived at the 4200 block of 4th Street in Southeast, where they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Rodney Snead from District Heights, Maryland. Police are currently on the lookout for a dark colored SUV in connection to the shooting.
A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered to anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s) connected to the shooting.
This murder marks the 248th homicide for the year in the district, a number we haven’t hit since 2003.
Monday's killing is less than 24-hours since the death of 18-year-old Treyvon Wilson. Wilson was found dead in an apartment building Sunday evening, along Good Hope Road.
Crime in D.C. has gotten so bad, businesses are permanently closing their doors and leaving the city, just to escape.
WUSA9’s Melissa Kim spoke with DC resident Todd Clark, who’s been living in the city for decades and he says he has seen the city go through high violent crimes, especially in the early 90s.
"I practice what I call – TEA – total environmental awareness. So you’re spatially aware, peripherally aware, spiritually aware," Clark explained, "you’re just aware of your surroundings, where you are, what time it is and staying away from areas that don’t look safe and people who don’t feel safe."
City leaders have been passing legislation in hopes of combating the increase in crime throughout the city. Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser passed the ACT Now Bill, the legislation “gives law enforcement more tools to hold criminals accountable and keep neighborhoods safe”.