Residents demand action amid repeated shootings in Northwest DC neighborhood
LeDroit Park residents demand action to address repeated shootings
Neighbors in LeDroit Park in D.C. are demanding action be taken to address repeated shootings.
WASHINGTON - Residents in a Northwest D.C. neighborhood plagued by repeated shootings are demanding more action and questioning what it will take to stop the violence.
What we know:
For nearly two years, surveillance cameras in LeDroit Park have captured armed suspects, often dressed in black, showing up on the streets and opening fire. Some of the shootings have happened in broad daylight, steps from homes, leaving families traumatized.
Most of the shootings have centered around Second and W streets in Northwest.
Police reports obtained by FOX 5 DC detail multiple incidents, dating back to January 2025.
During two separate shootings in early 2025, two men were injured by gunfire. One was shot in the hand and the other was shot in the back, police records show.
In another shooting in May, police recovered 38 shell casings after four suspects reportedly opened fire, damaging five vehicles and a residential window.
Shots fired in LeDroit Park on May 16, 2026
Shots fired in LeDroit Park on May 16, 2026. (Courtesy of David Michael)
READ MORE | Community frustrated with repeated shooting incidents in Northwest DC neighborhood
A nearby Howard University building has also been hit by gunfire on multiple occasions.
DC police said they have increased patrols, added surveillance cameras and brought in specialized units and federal partners to combat the violence. Officers have made 33 arrests in the surrounding area this year, including arrests connected to two shootings.
For residents in the neighborhood, the fear has not gone away.
What they're saying:
"The shootings have gotten worse over the past year," said neighbor Rachel Fehr. "Sometimes it’s in the middle of the night; sometimes it’s in the middle of the day on the weekday. There is really no rhyme or reason to it. It’s often many, many shots at once, maybe an automatic weapon. It’s pretty scary."
With Seaton Elementary School just around the corner from where the shootings have taken place, parents are especially concerned.
"It’s not just my concern for my own children and the Seton community. I think that this has become more urgent because of the presence of the elementary school," said parent Sri Katragadda.
Dozens of Seaton Elementary School parents have signed a petition calling on city leaders to take further action.
Katragadda said the city needs to look at what’s working in places like New York and Baltimore.
"I believe we need to do as Baltimore is doing, which is to address root causes by offering a real carrot and a real stick to the small people that are actually responsible for this," Katragadda said. "It’s a small number of people. The community knows who they are. Police know who they are, they just need to focus on those individuals, then try to arrest more generally."
"I don’t think enough is being done, and I think with a new city leadership there’s an opportunity to try some new solutions and see what other cities have done," Fehr added.
The Source: Information in this article is from D.C. police records, surveillance footage and original FOX 5 DC reporting.