Woman loses 4 children to DC violence

WASHINGTON - A mother has lost not one, not two, not three, but four children to violence in the D.C. area.

It is a heartbreaking situation that no one should have to endure. Phyllis Phillips first loss once of her sons, Samuel Phillip in 2001, then she lost a second son, Demetrius Phillip in 2003, Carlos Phillip in 2007 and most recently, Scorpio Phillip in 2016. All of her son's lives were lost due to violence in the district.

On Saturday a shoot-out near Barry farm took the life of 31-year-old Scorpio, Phyllis's fourth son. Scorpio and an 18-year-old lay dead on the ground -- seven others including children were shot as go-go bands played at the annual Dorsey day.

"I lost four brothers to the streets and all their cases are unsolved. I just want justice for my mother she's hurt and she's tired and they took her baby boy and it's just two of us left now," said Tanisha, who was a new born when her first brother was shot and killed.

She is now 18-years-old and will have to see her fourth brother, Scorpio, buried. Scorpio was a father to an 8-year-old, who they say still doesn't understand the gravity of his death.

"You have to worry about is you going to live or is you going to die because there's too much hate out here. You could walk outside and you could just die, you never know," Tanisha said. The family says they don't know if their son, brother was the intended target. But agree, the annual event lacked security. "Police should've been down there while the bands were playing they should've. And those cars should never have been able to double park on the streets, "Tanisha expressed.

Phyllis and her only daughter have just one request for the mayor and the police department:

"For the people that did this to be caught. I want the Mayor and everybody else to do their job-- you gotta bring one of my brothers' cases to justice. My mother got 4 sons, y'all need to bring one of them to justice," Tanisha said. "She really needs to step up, because this can't keep going on like this and ain't nobody doing no time for none of my kids, none of them," Phyllis expressed to FOX 5.

A statement received by DC Police states:

The organizers should have applied for a permit and had a security plan for an event this large. The organizers did not apply for a permit. The event was on private property, and the event organizers did not consult with MPD.