DC Mayor Bowser remains confident in Chief Lanier

WASHINGTON - The mother of a teenager who was shot over the weekend in D.C. is asking Mayor Muriel Bowser to do whatever she can to stop the violence.

Taije Chambliss, 13, was wounded along with another man Sunday evening on 3rd Street in Southwest D.C. It happened across the street from a library where she was doing homework. The teenager was released from the hospital on Monday, but the gunman remains at large.

"What I would say to the mayor, you know, get serious about getting these guns up off the streets. They're affecting the lives of innocent families and children," said mother Lakisha Chambliss.

The shooting comes after the D.C. Police Union said Chief Cathy Lanier was given a vote of no confidence in a weekend poll that asked if she was properly managing the police department.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Bowser reaffirmed her support for Chief Lanier and the city's police officers.

"I support the beat officer that walks on my street, the lieutenant that commands my PSA and the chief of police. And that's how Washingtonians feel too," said Mayor Bowser. "I would never say that any manager couldn't listen more. Listening is good. So all managers, including myself, can listen more and we want to hear from our employees."

Appearing on FOX 5 News Morning, Councilmember Mary Cheh said she was not surprised by the D.C. Police Union's vote and she believes Chief Lanier has some work to do to increase morale.

"I support the chief. I think she's a good chief of police. But she does have and she has had difficulties with the rank and file," said Cheh. "What I'm hoping is that she can bridge that gap and have a better rapport with her rank and file officers."

Mayor Bowser said Tuesday she is eager to push through new crime-fighting measures, which were announced last week. Bowser will present them to the D.C. Council in the coming weeks.