January Homicides Up 46 Percent from December

By D.C. Witness Staff - February 4, 2019
Featured | Homicides | Infographics | Victims |

As Washington, DC moved into a new year, so did violent crime. D.C. Witness data shows that homicides increased by nearly 46 percent from December.

There were 19 homicides in January, six more than the number of homicides recorded in December (13). Compared to January of 2018, homicides rose by more than 100 percent, according to D.C. Witness data.

There were nine homicides in Ward 8, the largest number of homicides for the month. Ward 7 took the second spot with four homicides, and Ward 6 rounded out the top three wards with three homicides in January, according to D.C. Witness data.

D.C. Witness data also shows that 15 homicides were a result of gun violence, two homicides resulted from stabbings and two homicides were fire related. Police have arrested three suspects in two of the 19 homicides.

Collin J. Potter was arrested in connection to a fatal stabbing that occurred on Jan. 6. According to a press release, Potter, 26, who is a resident of Quantico, Va. is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 36-year-old Vongell Lugo on the 2800 block of Wisconsin Avenue, NW. According to a press release, Lugo resided in Northwest, DC.

Potter has a preliminary hearing scheduled on March 15.

Two other suspects, Stephon Evans and Alonzo Brown, were arrested for shooting 22-year-old Michael Taylor on Jan. 12 on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE. All three men resided in Northeast, DC.

Both suspects are charged with first-degree murder while armed. Evans, 18, and Brown, 21, are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 15.

Louis Shearon contributed to this article.