1700 Block of Euclid Street NW, April 1

In conjunction with the investigation into the murder of Michael and Virginia Spevak, ABC 7 reports that D.C. Police discovered a safe and computer during yesterday's search of the backyard and alley behind 622 Ingraham St. NW.

A neighbor also found a charred ID belonging to Dr. Spevak in the alley.

Inspector Rodney Parks, addressing the press yesterday at the scene of the investigation, refused to confirm or deny the discovery of a computer. "Items were taken," he told us, "and burglary appears to be the motive. But we haven’t ruled out anything else."

NBC is also reporting the discovery of a safe.

Photograph above: D.C. Police package evidence in the Ingraham alley on 11/24/08

Bullets flew again tonight in Petworth.

Just after 7:45 p.m., an unspecified number of shooters opened fire on a row of houses in the 800 block of Crittenden Street NW, the MPD said.

"There are no victims as far as personal injuries," a lieutenant told us. "It appears to be just property damage at this time. Thank God no one was shot."

Behind the yellow tape, cops shined flashlights into neighboring windows, looking for more bullet holes. In the alley, small white placards numbered 1 to 13 indicated what little evidence the police had found.

We're a little thin on details right now, especially with regard to the most important question: Is there a link between this incident and the weekend's other shootings on Georgia Avenue and Marlboro Place?

"Wouldn't go so far as to say that at this time," the lieutenant said. "I can tell you that the community's been very helpful. That's what we need."

"Even with no personal injuries," he added, "we take this just as seriously."

As I left the scene of the crime, the following message blared from walkie-talkies on the cops' belts:

Enhanced patrols tonight on the 800 block of Crittenden, the 4500 block of Georgia, and the 4000 Block of Marlboro.

As ever, we'll do our best to keep you in the loop.

***

UPDATE: ~10:30 p.m. Residents maintain that the shooting occurred between 7:25 and 7:30, not at 7:45.

Photographs by Brian Reed

On the sidewalk in front of 4022 4016 Marlboro Place NW, a bicycle lay on its side beside a pool of blood. Cops were combing the street. The house windows were dark. According to Lieutenant Trippi of the MPD, a single shooter opened fire on two* men shortly after 11:30 p.m. One man was shot in the leg; the other sustained an unspecified number of gun wounds to the head.

Larry Huff, a friend and neighbor who lives four doors from the scene of the crime, heard the shots and witnessed the aftermath. He gave me an extended statement. [Below the jump.]

"I was sitting in my living room watching TV, and I heard multiple gunshots very close, very loud. I had to hit the floor, that's how loud it was. Maybe twenty or twenty-five shots, so many shots that it almost sounded like two people were shooting as opposed to one. I went to my front door to look out. All I could see was several young fellows running for their lives. And when I realized that the shooting had stopped and the guys had started to settle down, I decided to come outside. That's when we discovered that a couple of people were shot. One was shot pretty bad—gunshot wounds to the head area. Blood all over his face, wound in the back of his head—the blood was just popping outta that wound. On the side of his face you could see blood trickling down. And one fellow was shot in his leg."

"There was a car waiting for the shooter. The shooter was on foot and ran to get to the car. The car sped down Marlboro and hit a neighbor's car. They got a camera right there on that corner so the police say they think that camera should be working and should pick up the vehicle that struck that car. They should be able to go back, establish the time, and see that vehicle. Police seem to think there were six in the vehicle, armed."

"They were neighborhood kids," Huff added. "I knew that my nephew was hanging out there with these same fellas, and I was concerned he was involved. I came out to check on my family, on my neighborhood. '06 is the last time I've heard gunshots on Marlboro."

Police arrived within ten minutes of the shooting, an ambulance within fifteen.

"That could have been too long with that kid," Huff said, "having a bullet or two floating around in your head."

Lieutenant Trippi couldn't give us more than the basics. Please check back for updates. In the meantime, the detectives have gone home, and a neighbor's dog is bellowing at sirens in the distance.

*One witness maintained that a third victim fled the scene after a bullet grazed his arm.

***

UPDATE: 11/8/08 ~2:30 p.m. The MPD is looking for three suspects. So far no deaths and no arrests.

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."