Police Tape: 11th and Girard NW
At 8:25 p.m., several police officers, in uniform and plain clothes, surround a woman. They don't just surround her, they huddle over her. It is impossible to see this woman. All you can do is hear her. She is screaming.
"I'm going in the street!" she bellows. This is her plea. She has a right to it.
Up the street is her brother. He is behind police tape. He lies motionless at 11th and Harvard Streets NW. He is wearing a red jacket and blue jeans and sneakers. He is dead. Someone shot him, according to police.
The sister tries to wriggle free. She is not wearing a shirt. All she has on is a black bra. A cop grabs her and holds her. He hugs her. "I will stay here with you," he pleads. D.C. Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier stands nearby, close as she can to the mass of officers, and the sister.
After a brief moment of calm, the sister breaks free from the police and runs. It is cold and blustery. Crowds have gathered at two of the intersection's four points. The sister doesn't care that she is only wearing a bra. She dashes down Girard. The officers follow and attempt to pull her back in, to pull her close, to calm her down.
A woman takes in the scene just behind the yellow tape. She says the man lying up there--that was her best friend. She says she works at the group home just up Girard. The man's family lives a few doors down. "He was a good friend," she says. He was 39. He liked the Redskins. "He's just a sweet person," she adds. That's all she can say at the moment.
It is 8:35 p.m.
A man comes up to Lanier. He is dressed in a track suit. He has a puffy goatee. They talk for a brief moment in the middle of the intersection. He just tells her this: "She is crazy."
A few moments later, the decedent's mother arrives and heads straight for her son. She has to be held back by police and bystanders. She pleads her case. She jumps up in the air. She claps. Her shock is uncontrollable and heartbreaking. She is screaming.
Lanier comes over and puts her arms around and escorts her to a police cruiser. The mom takes the passenger seat.
Lanier crouches next to her and talks. She gets a small miracle: laughter.
"Someone shot him walking up the street," says a bystander. "That don't make sense."
Down Girard, the decedent's sister is still shouting, still refusing to put on a shirt. A half block away, you can still hear her: "Let me go!"
A young woman--maybe in her early 20s--comes up to the tape and finds a friend. "I just called your phone," she says. "I need a hug. This is the worst thing ever."
"Get off of me!" the sister screams. "Bitch, move! Let me go! Kiss my ass!"
A friend of the family shows up with clothes. It's still no good.
At 8:50 p.m., Lanier has got the mother calm. "I told her I'm sorry, really sorry," Lanier says. "Even the grandmother is here. She's 80 years old."
Of the victim, Lanier learned a few things: "He mentors kids, coaches basketball." She doesn't know his name. It hasn't been released yet; she says he is married and his wife still doesn't know.
"There's a 100 people here," she says. "I guarantee three of them know what happened."
Lanier gets called away. She is asked to speak to the man's sister, who is now at the corner of 11th and Girard just a few feet from the police tape. As people put clothes on her, sweatpants and a top, Lanier gets close in and pleads with her to calm down. The sister is mad--she doesn't know why her brother still has to be laid out on the street.
Lanier tells her she knows--she knows she's hurting bad. "You will see your brother," she says. "You have to let us finish."
Update 1:26 a.m.: MPD sent this release. It reads in part:
"The victim, identified as 37-year-old Louis Beamon, of the 5300 block of Quincy Street in Hyattsville, Maryland, was officially pronounced dead on the scene at 10:00 pm by a representative of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia. Subsequently, the remains were transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIM[E]. Anonymous information may also be forwarded to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411."
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Linked From: October 29th, 2008Washington City Paper: City Desk - Loose Lips Daily
10:02 am[...] block of Quincy Street, was a former football player at Cardozo High School.” Jason Cherkis reports from the Beamon scene. More from Channel [...]
11:56 pm
Thanks for this piece.
9:50 am
thank you jason. this is chilling reading, but a very good read.
10:17 am
this is so good i'm worried about your mental health.
11:54 am
There is a moral thing that is missing here. The young husband killed, his sister's hurt. Mom's and grandma's needing to be calmed. Everyone one there ... looking, hearing, and ... what? We are becoming numb to this injuries upon one another. It really is a moral thing. Yes, you have to print it, but than what. This is more than news, it is more about what's missing, what are we doing this to one another? Whether it is cold blooded killing, defrauding, running lies to win office; all turning your head away from the consequences... this rip.
12:02 pm
CORRECTION: There is a moral thing that is missing here. The young husband killed, his sister’s hurt. Mom’s and grandma’s needing to be calmed. Everyone one there … looking, hearing, and … what? We are becoming numb to injuries upon one another. It really is a moral thing. Yes, you have to print it, but than what. This is more than news, it is more about what is missing, why are we doing these things one another? Whether it is cold blooded killing, defrauding, running lies to win office, abandoning children; all turning our heads away from the consequences… this. The truth is after the camera, it is just going to be treated as another cold case. It is much more. We all have the opportunity to make a difference. So rest in peace Louis, I didn't miss the part about the contributions that you made to youth. I would like to hear about those contributions. Rip.
1:49 pm
The police are a joke! They spend too much time doing bs police work like arresting people for open containers of alcohol, urinating in an alley or just telling them about their sorry asses! I was there at the scene and things could have been handled in a better manner. They lied about an ambulance was on the way. I was there until 1:00am and never seen an ambulance. The police just left him there not even with an attempt to rush him to the hospital. When his own cousin tried to see what was happening and to just see if he was okay the police used force that was not necessary as usual when he ran across the tape. They said that it was still a crime scene and that no one could disturb the crime scene. Come to found out a crime scene unit never arrived. His sister wanted to go to the scene so bad that told them to shoot her she didn't care. I mentioned that to one of the sergeants how serious this issue was and he just walking around like everything was cool and had the nerve to say and I quote "We wouldn't want to shoot her for that." so I thought what would you want to shoot her for then if not for that. There are just a joke! The police need to start taking their careers more seriously because for myself as a tax paying citizen should not feel that I can do a better job protecting myself out here then the so called police! My condolences to all his family and friends. You will be missed!
2:29 pm
What was the motive for this crime? What happened?
6:09 pm
Chilling read - I was there too, only after 10pm. He was still lying in the street. They said it was drug-related.
After everything was said and done, they left the blood on the street from where he laid, and I drove past it on my way to work this morning.
1:04 pm
What difference does it make regarding the motive??The reality is that someones SON, BROTHER, and FATHER has been murdered.....and everything you hear is not always true!! Everyone else will go on with their lives...but this family will be forever affected by both this awful act and by the treatment and responses they received from all...including this blog..The woman in the bra....IS SOMEONES DAUGHTER, THE DECEASED SISTER AND A MOTHER!!! Do you know how you will respond if this happened to you?? We all respond differently..hopefully one day it will be more than NEWS and people will lend a hand to those who have been forever damaged by the disregard for human life!!!
2:26 pm
First I am leaving my nickname because that is what they know me by. I want to say that we have just been dealt a terrible loss. I was just with this young man at the Cardozo Homecoming last Friday and I was so happy to see that he was doing well. When he came up to me and I greeted him, “how are you doing”, his response was, “I’m doing fine”. Little did I know that this would be the last time I get to speak with him!
It has been said time and time again but I feel that I have to mention it again. We have to stop killing each other. The say part is that from what I hear, he is a father and coach and friend to so many people and he will never get to live the dream that most Black men try to live, to see our first black president or to watch his children grow up.
I shed a tear because I know that he is no longer apart of this world but I also wipe that tear away and know that he can never be taken from our hearts. He will feel no more pain because he is with his FATHER.
I want to send out my condolences to the family and to my friend Louis, RIP my
11:30 am
I knew him as Pluck..although i was much younger when i met pluck and interacted with him on a regular basis..he was a very nice person who always had something positive to say when i saw him. It hurts really bad to know that people are just cruel and heartless. I couldnot imagine him being capable of doing anything to make some PUNK B*TCH want to kill him. I am so sorry for his families loss and I can only imagine how they must feel because i cry everytime i think about it and i havent seen him in atleast 4 years, but what i do know is this was very undeservant to such a special person like him... HE WILL TRULY BE MORE THAN MISSED!!
1:38 pm
What happen to my dearest friend was senseless. I have known Pluck since 1990, he was a loving spirit field with jokes and lots of laughter. Life was given and created by GOD and we need to first acknowledge that.I know my friend is in a better place; however his family and friends need PRAYER and PEACE to weather the storm. I thank GOD that I had the opportunity to speak with him 2 weeks prior to his passing.I will remember all the times we shared back -n- the day, you will be truly missed.But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ( Mt.6:33) Love always, Your Lil Tomato
8:42 am
Man Pluck was the kind of person that lights up a room. I've known him since about 1994, he's always the one to be like "yall don't do that" or is the one to help you in the time of need. He was well know and loved by many. No one ever knew some shit like this would happen to a REAL NIGGA like him. He was a role model for the youngins in streets that didn't know shit. Rest in peace PLUCK. Shalaunnda, Melody, Tracey ( Sherman ave).
10:25 pm
rip pluck real nigga
11:42 am
There will be a brief memorial celebration for Pluck before the Cardozo-Coolidge football game this Friday (Nov.7)at 6:45pm.
10:34 am
I must say that I am truly hurt by this senceless act of violence. See for me it really hurts because I knew Pluck as a friend a fellow student and a member of the Cardozo football team, and we were apart of all that. And thats what hurts! For the person responsible for this I cannt understand how you could fuck up another community and hurt all those young Plucks who don't have a father figure in there community but there lives would have been affected by having him to touch there lives in one way or another. To me he was a pillar in this community a stand up nigga. REST IN PIECE PLUCK Love Forever FOOTZ
11:06 am
i am so sorry to hear this has happened to pluck and his family. I knew pluck from growing up around the way and I also knew him through an old friend. May Allah be with his family during this time of difficulty.
12:02 pm
RIP Pluck. May GOD be with you, and watch over your family. This has definitely hit home.
6:31 pm
aint no allah shawty...."may GOD b with them"
7:55 pm
I live close by there...I'm scared to walk home.
3:53 pm
I used to live at 13th and girard and knew Pluck growing up from playing boys club and high school football. I last saw Pluck this summer and like everytime I run into him he would say, "Man, come up to Banneker like why used to when we were young to play some basketball". A true dude indeed and he will be missed. Peace and blessings to his family