US Attorney’s Office to get more resources to combat violent crime in DC
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The U.S. Justice Department on Friday announced it is sending more resources to the U.S. Attorney’s office for D.C. to help combat last year’s steep rise in violent crime.
There’s were significant spikes in crimes committed by juveniles in 2023 with violent acts like carjackings and robberies, according to Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) statistics.
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“You know, seeing 12, 13, 14, 15 year olds committing these crimes, 16 and 17 year olds that we prosecute … It’s heartbreaking to me,” Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for D.C., told DC News Now.
Graves said about 20 analysts and prosecutors have already joined the U.S. attorney’s office to better respond to rising crime trends with data analytics, deeper investigations and increased prosecutions.
He said people in the District deserve to feel safe and that while it pains him to prosecute young people, they are committing serious crimes that must be punished.
“I want the kids to hear … if people are telling you that there are no consequences, that you won’t be caught, they’re lying to you,” Graves said. “You will be caught.”
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Last year, violent crime in the nation’s capital was up 39% from the previous year, according to MPD statistics. Businesses have been the targets of robberies from troubled neighborhoods to wealthy ones like at The Wharf.
“We’ve been hit twice,” said Christopher Pennachio, the manager of DCity Smokehouse in Southeast D.C. “I want to come to work, feel safe and then make it home at the end of the day, like anybody else would.”
Pennachio said his barbeque restaurant now has an armed guard. The last time the place