Community meeting held to discuss recent spike in Northeast DC crime

Neighbors in a Northeast D.C. community gathered Wednesday night to discuss the recent spike in crime in the area.

Residents in the NoMa neighborhood and nearby areas say the crime here is out of hand.

"Violent crimes I know have rattled the neighborhood," said D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen.

Homicides, shootings and robberies are just some of the recent crimes that were described at the meeting.

In just days, the crime in this area of the District has climbed exponentially leading D.C. police and ANC commissioners to meet with residents who are demanding action.

The Metropolitan Branch Trail was a point of conversation following the mugging of a 29-year-old bicyclist. She was allegedly attacked by two teenagers in the middle of the morning on Monday.

FOX 5 obtained exclusive video of the robbery in progress from a witness who says the 911 dispatcher could not send help to the bike trail because there was no physical address.

Just two days after our story aired, D.C. police say markers are now being placed along the bike path to help produce a location for help.

Residents are upset nothing is being done at bridge overpasses and a number of construction sites they believe create a stealthy setting for prostitution and illicit activities.

But for Councilmember Allen, the culprit behind the rising crime is the hottest drug on the street -- synthetic drugs.

"Somebody is basically looking like a zombie or they are acting incredibly violently," said Allen. "Calling this synthetic marijuana, I don't think it does justice to what this drug does. I think it's much more like a PCP-type of drug."

D.C. police also say they are increasing their patrols to make sure they can help curb the crime.