WASHINGTON — Three police officers were shot and injured in Southeast D.C. Wednesday morning while trying to serve an arrest warrant for animal cruelty. As a result, a barricade situation was sparked on Hanna Place Southeast, near KIPP DC LEAP Academy.
The school was placed on secure status mode, meaning no entering and exiting the building. This is not the only school in the community impacted, nor are those the only people.
WUSA9's Delia Goncalves said a feeling of silence can be felt in the neighborhood, just three blocks away from the scene on the 4700 block of Benning Road Southeast. On a day when students went to school with their Valentines, ready to celebrate with classmates -- hoping to have a great day. Instead, they were greeted with chaos as police tape and lights took over the area.
Even though the community is safe at this time, the trauma still remains for many people in this area — as well as across the District. A mom in the area, who says she was awoken to the situation, said this type of situation happens in her neighborhood all the time, but never to this extent.
She stated when she woke up, officers were speeding past her window and she heard a bunch of sirens passing by. She thought of her daughter who goes to KIPP DC LEAP Acadmy. The girl was already in class at the time of the shooting. She then came outside and saw a bunch of police vehicles had blocked the street off.
"I mean, I see it all the time every day," the mom said. "Not this big. It's normally not this big, but I see it in a lot of police action every day."
She continued by expressing that there is a difference in turnout when it comes to crimes in the neighborhood.
"We don't get this big a turnout for when it's something happening to like the pedestrians out here. It's more like when it happened to the police officers, we get this type of turnout. You don't get this type of turnout when it happened to the pedestrians out here. Sad to say."
Valentine's Day represents love and admiration for many, but it will be remembered with sirens and police response for this neighborhood.
Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the area to serve the warrant around 7:30 a.m. As of 12:15 p.m. the person inside of the residence remains barricaded. The police department says the situation remains active as the person continues to fire their weapon.
The officers that were shot are said to be suffering from non-life-threatening injuries and will recover.
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