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The Reflecting Pool on the National Mall was filling back up with water Friday after President Donald Trump had the landmark painted blue.

It’s one of a number of projects Trump is pursuing to change the look of D.C. as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.

On Thursday, the president discussed another project: building a promenade that would extend from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

On the National Mall, News4 heard from fans and critics of the Reflecting Pool paint job.

A visitor from Phoenix called it “fantastic.” Tourists from Chicago and Vermont, plus a D.C. resident, weren’t so kind.

“I think it’s an incredible waste of money. I think it’s a stupid idea. I’m delighted that it’s still reflecting,” one man said.

One woman called the color “disgusting.”

Trump said the project’s cost was between $1.5 million and $2 million. But contracts for the project total $14.8 million, The Washington Post reported.

Washington DC Jun 4

Kennedy Center lawyers tell staff to remove references to Trump

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

On the other side of the Lincoln Memorial, work was underway Friday to repaint the lions near the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It’s where Trump wants to build what he described on Thursday in the Oval Office as a promenade, from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

“The front was supposed to be the back and the back was supposed to be the front.” Trump said. “It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built, and it shut off the gateway to the water.”

It was unclear on which side of the bridge the promenade would be.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the idea for a promenade has a history.

“These are plans and ideas that have existed almost since the end of the Civil War. The McMillan Plan, which is the one that designed the National Mall as we see it today, which was in the early part of the 1900s, envisioned this connection,” he said in the Oval Office.

So far, there are no renderings of the promenade, and its potential cost has not been disclosed.

As Trump remakes the National Mall, changes also could be coming to the Kennedy Center within days. Trump’s name still appeared above President John F. Kennedy’s, despite a federal judge’s ruling that it must come down soon. The renovation of the cultural center has stalled, as a judge ordered a temporary halt to Trump shutting it down for the next two years.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, who brought the lawsuit against Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center, told NBC News she’s excited by the judge’s ruling but waiting to see what happens. She said one day you’re hearing one thing, and the next day, another.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

The Reflecting Pool on the National Mall was filling back up with water Friday after President Donald Trump had the landmark painted blue.

It’s one of a number of projects Trump is pursuing to change the look of D.C. as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.

On Thursday, the president discussed another project: building a promenade that would extend from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

On the National Mall, News4 heard from fans and critics of the Reflecting Pool paint job.

A visitor from Phoenix called it “fantastic.” Tourists from Chicago and Vermont, plus a D.C. resident, weren’t so kind.

“I think it’s an incredible waste of money. I think it’s a stupid idea. I’m delighted that it’s still reflecting,” one man said.

One woman called the color “disgusting.”

Trump said the project’s cost was between $1.5 million and $2 million. But contracts for the project total $14.8 million, The Washington Post reported.

Washington DC Jun 4

Kennedy Center lawyers tell staff to remove references to Trump

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

On the other side of the Lincoln Memorial, work was underway Friday to repaint the lions near the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It’s where Trump wants to build what he described on Thursday in the Oval Office as a promenade, from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

“The front was supposed to be the back and the back was supposed to be the front.” Trump said. “It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built, and it shut off the gateway to the water.”

It was unclear on which side of the bridge the promenade would be.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the idea for a promenade has a history.

“These are plans and ideas that have existed almost since the end of the Civil War. The McMillan Plan, which is the one that designed the National Mall as we see it today, which was in the early part of the 1900s, envisioned this connection,” he said in the Oval Office.

So far, there are no renderings of the promenade, and its potential cost has not been disclosed.

As Trump remakes the National Mall, changes also could be coming to the Kennedy Center within days. Trump’s name still appeared above President John F. Kennedy’s, despite a federal judge’s ruling that it must come down soon. The renovation of the cultural center has stalled, as a judge ordered a temporary halt to Trump shutting it down for the next two years.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, who brought the lawsuit against Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center, told NBC News she’s excited by the judge’s ruling but waiting to see what happens. She said one day you’re hearing one thing, and the next day, another.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

The Reflecting Pool on the National Mall was filling back up with water Friday after President Donald Trump had the landmark painted blue.

It’s one of a number of projects Trump is pursuing to change the look of D.C. as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.

On Thursday, the president discussed another project: building a promenade that would extend from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

On the National Mall, News4 heard from fans and critics of the Reflecting Pool paint job.

A visitor from Phoenix called it “fantastic.” Tourists from Chicago and Vermont, plus a D.C. resident, weren’t so kind.

“I think it’s an incredible waste of money. I think it’s a stupid idea. I’m delighted that it’s still reflecting,” one man said.

One woman called the color “disgusting.”

Trump said the project’s cost was between $1.5 million and $2 million. But contracts for the project total $14.8 million, The Washington Post reported.

Washington DC Jun 4

Kennedy Center lawyers tell staff to remove references to Trump

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

On the other side of the Lincoln Memorial, work was underway Friday to repaint the lions near the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It’s where Trump wants to build what he described on Thursday in the Oval Office as a promenade, from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

“The front was supposed to be the back and the back was supposed to be the front.” Trump said. “It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built, and it shut off the gateway to the water.”

It was unclear on which side of the bridge the promenade would be.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the idea for a promenade has a history.

“These are plans and ideas that have existed almost since the end of the Civil War. The McMillan Plan, which is the one that designed the National Mall as we see it today, which was in the early part of the 1900s, envisioned this connection,” he said in the Oval Office.

So far, there are no renderings of the promenade, and its potential cost has not been disclosed.

As Trump remakes the National Mall, changes also could be coming to the Kennedy Center within days. Trump’s name still appeared above President John F. Kennedy’s, despite a federal judge’s ruling that it must come down soon. The renovation of the cultural center has stalled, as a judge ordered a temporary halt to Trump shutting it down for the next two years.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, who brought the lawsuit against Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center, told NBC News she’s excited by the judge’s ruling but waiting to see what happens. She said one day you’re hearing one thing, and the next day, another.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

The Reflecting Pool on the National Mall was filling back up with water Friday after President Donald Trump had the landmark painted blue.

It’s one of a number of projects Trump is pursuing to change the look of D.C. as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.

On Thursday, the president discussed another project: building a promenade that would extend from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

On the National Mall, News4 heard from fans and critics of the Reflecting Pool paint job.

A visitor from Phoenix called it “fantastic.” Tourists from Chicago and Vermont, plus a D.C. resident, weren’t so kind.

“I think it’s an incredible waste of money. I think it’s a stupid idea. I’m delighted that it’s still reflecting,” one man said.

One woman called the color “disgusting.”

Trump said the project’s cost was between $1.5 million and $2 million. But contracts for the project total $14.8 million, The Washington Post reported.

Washington DC Jun 4

Kennedy Center lawyers tell staff to remove references to Trump

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

On the other side of the Lincoln Memorial, work was underway Friday to repaint the lions near the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It’s where Trump wants to build what he described on Thursday in the Oval Office as a promenade, from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

“The front was supposed to be the back and the back was supposed to be the front.” Trump said. “It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built, and it shut off the gateway to the water.”

It was unclear on which side of the bridge the promenade would be.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the idea for a promenade has a history.

“These are plans and ideas that have existed almost since the end of the Civil War. The McMillan Plan, which is the one that designed the National Mall as we see it today, which was in the early part of the 1900s, envisioned this connection,” he said in the Oval Office.

So far, there are no renderings of the promenade, and its potential cost has not been disclosed.

As Trump remakes the National Mall, changes also could be coming to the Kennedy Center within days. Trump’s name still appeared above President John F. Kennedy’s, despite a federal judge’s ruling that it must come down soon. The renovation of the cultural center has stalled, as a judge ordered a temporary halt to Trump shutting it down for the next two years.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, who brought the lawsuit against Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center, told NBC News she’s excited by the judge’s ruling but waiting to see what happens. She said one day you’re hearing one thing, and the next day, another.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

The Reflecting Pool on the National Mall was filling back up with water Friday after President Donald Trump had the landmark painted blue.

It’s one of a number of projects Trump is pursuing to change the look of D.C. as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.

On Thursday, the president discussed another project: building a promenade that would extend from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

On the National Mall, News4 heard from fans and critics of the Reflecting Pool paint job.

A visitor from Phoenix called it “fantastic.” Tourists from Chicago and Vermont, plus a D.C. resident, weren’t so kind.

“I think it’s an incredible waste of money. I think it’s a stupid idea. I’m delighted that it’s still reflecting,” one man said.

One woman called the color “disgusting.”

Trump said the project’s cost was between $1.5 million and $2 million. But contracts for the project total $14.8 million, The Washington Post reported.

Washington DC Jun 4

Kennedy Center lawyers tell staff to remove references to Trump

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

On the other side of the Lincoln Memorial, work was underway Friday to repaint the lions near the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It’s where Trump wants to build what he described on Thursday in the Oval Office as a promenade, from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

“The front was supposed to be the back and the back was supposed to be the front.” Trump said. “It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built, and it shut off the gateway to the water.”

It was unclear on which side of the bridge the promenade would be.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the idea for a promenade has a history.

“These are plans and ideas that have existed almost since the end of the Civil War. The McMillan Plan, which is the one that designed the National Mall as we see it today, which was in the early part of the 1900s, envisioned this connection,” he said in the Oval Office.

So far, there are no renderings of the promenade, and its potential cost has not been disclosed.

As Trump remakes the National Mall, changes also could be coming to the Kennedy Center within days. Trump’s name still appeared above President John F. Kennedy’s, despite a federal judge’s ruling that it must come down soon. The renovation of the cultural center has stalled, as a judge ordered a temporary halt to Trump shutting it down for the next two years.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, who brought the lawsuit against Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center, told NBC News she’s excited by the judge’s ruling but waiting to see what happens. She said one day you’re hearing one thing, and the next day, another.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

The Reflecting Pool on the National Mall was filling back up with water Friday after President Donald Trump had the landmark painted blue.

It’s one of a number of projects Trump is pursuing to change the look of D.C. as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.

On Thursday, the president discussed another project: building a promenade that would extend from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

On the National Mall, News4 heard from fans and critics of the Reflecting Pool paint job.

A visitor from Phoenix called it “fantastic.” Tourists from Chicago and Vermont, plus a D.C. resident, weren’t so kind.

“I think it’s an incredible waste of money. I think it’s a stupid idea. I’m delighted that it’s still reflecting,” one man said.

One woman called the color “disgusting.”

Trump said the project’s cost was between $1.5 million and $2 million. But contracts for the project total $14.8 million, The Washington Post reported.

Washington DC Jun 4

Kennedy Center lawyers tell staff to remove references to Trump

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

On the other side of the Lincoln Memorial, work was underway Friday to repaint the lions near the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It’s where Trump wants to build what he described on Thursday in the Oval Office as a promenade, from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.

“The front was supposed to be the back and the back was supposed to be the front.” Trump said. “It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built, and it shut off the gateway to the water.”

It was unclear on which side of the bridge the promenade would be.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the idea for a promenade has a history.

“These are plans and ideas that have existed almost since the end of the Civil War. The McMillan Plan, which is the one that designed the National Mall as we see it today, which was in the early part of the 1900s, envisioned this connection,” he said in the Oval Office.

So far, there are no renderings of the promenade, and its potential cost has not been disclosed.

As Trump remakes the National Mall, changes also could be coming to the Kennedy Center within days. Trump’s name still appeared above President John F. Kennedy’s, despite a federal judge’s ruling that it must come down soon. The renovation of the cultural center has stalled, as a judge ordered a temporary halt to Trump shutting it down for the next two years.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, who brought the lawsuit against Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center, told NBC News she’s excited by the judge’s ruling but waiting to see what happens. She said one day you’re hearing one thing, and the next day, another.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Home security cameras caught a frightening scene in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Thursday when police say an armed teenager tried to carjack a man outside his home.

It would have been the second carjacking to happen in front of Jheyco Borda’s home. But he and other family members decided to fight back.

Borda said he was installing a dashcam in his truck when he noticed a group of people, who appeared to be teens, walk onto his block.

“And I saw six kids come by playing around … And out of my corner of my eye, they stepped in front of my car … in front of the neighbor’s house,” Borda said in an interview with News4’s sister station Telemundo44.

Borda said he quickly called his brother, who was in the house, and then got out and began securing things in the back of his truck.

“I saw them put on a face mask. As soon as I figured that one out, I was like, something’s about to go down,” he said.

One of the teens then went up to Borda and pointed a gun in his face.

“And I told him, ‘The car is on. The keys are inside.’ And he saw my phone and was, like, ‘Give me your phone, too.’ So I gave it to him. When he got distracted looking at my phone, that was the split second when I grabbed the gun out of his hand,” Borda said.

Borda, a former member of the U.S. military, was joined by his brother, who’s about to enlist in the Air Force.

“Then my pops came out, and he got control of one guy,” Borda said.

During the struggle to get control of the gun the teen pulled the trigger, Borda said.

The family eventually subdued two of the teenagers and waited until police arrived.

There’s a large bullet hole in Borda’s truck. He said he’s grateful no one was hurt.

Home security cameras caught a frightening scene in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Thursday when police say an armed teenager tried to carjack a man outside his home.

It would have been the second carjacking to happen in front of Jheyco Borda’s home. But he and other family members decided to fight back.

Borda said he was installing a dashcam in his truck when he noticed a group of people, who appeared to be teens, walk onto his block.

“And I saw six kids come by playing around … And out of my corner of my eye, they stepped in front of my car … in front of the neighbor’s house,” Borda said in an interview with News4’s sister station Telemundo44.

Borda said he quickly called his brother, who was in the house, and then got out and began securing things in the back of his truck.

“I saw them put on a face mask. As soon as I figured that one out, I was like, something’s about to go down,” he said.

One of the teens then went up to Borda and pointed a gun in his face.

“And I told him, ‘The car is on. The keys are inside.’ And he saw my phone and was, like, ‘Give me your phone, too.’ So I gave it to him. When he got distracted looking at my phone, that was the split second when I grabbed the gun out of his hand,” Borda said.

Borda, a former member of the U.S. military, was joined by his brother, who’s about to enlist in the Air Force.

“Then my pops came out, and he got control of one guy,” Borda said.

During the struggle to get control of the gun the teen pulled the trigger, Borda said.

The family eventually subdued two of the teenagers and waited until police arrived.

There’s a large bullet hole in Borda’s truck. He said he’s grateful no one was hurt.

Home security cameras caught a frightening scene in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Thursday when police say an armed teenager tried to carjack a man outside his home.

It would have been the second carjacking to happen in front of Jheyco Borda’s home. But he and other family members decided to fight back.

Borda said he was installing a dashcam in his truck when he noticed a group of people, who appeared to be teens, walk onto his block.

“And I saw six kids come by playing around … And out of my corner of my eye, they stepped in front of my car … in front of the neighbor’s house,” Borda said in an interview with News4’s sister station Telemundo44.

Borda said he quickly called his brother, who was in the house, and then got out and began securing things in the back of his truck.

“I saw them put on a face mask. As soon as I figured that one out, I was like, something’s about to go down,” he said.

One of the teens then went up to Borda and pointed a gun in his face.

“And I told him, ‘The car is on. The keys are inside.’ And he saw my phone and was, like, ‘Give me your phone, too.’ So I gave it to him. When he got distracted looking at my phone, that was the split second when I grabbed the gun out of his hand,” Borda said.

Borda, a former member of the U.S. military, was joined by his brother, who’s about to enlist in the Air Force.

“Then my pops came out, and he got control of one guy,” Borda said.

During the struggle to get control of the gun the teen pulled the trigger, Borda said.

The family eventually subdued two of the teenagers and waited until police arrived.

There’s a large bullet hole in Borda’s truck. He said he’s grateful no one was hurt.

Home security cameras caught a frightening scene in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Thursday when police say an armed teenager tried to carjack a man outside his home.

It would have been the second carjacking to happen in front of Jheyco Borda’s home. But he and other family members decided to fight back.

Borda said he was installing a dashcam in his truck when he noticed a group of people, who appeared to be teens, walk onto his block.

“And I saw six kids come by playing around … And out of my corner of my eye, they stepped in front of my car … in front of the neighbor’s house,” Borda said in an interview with News4’s sister station Telemundo44.

Borda said he quickly called his brother, who was in the house, and then got out and began securing things in the back of his truck.

“I saw them put on a face mask. As soon as I figured that one out, I was like, something’s about to go down,” he said.

One of the teens then went up to Borda and pointed a gun in his face.

“And I told him, ‘The car is on. The keys are inside.’ And he saw my phone and was, like, ‘Give me your phone, too.’ So I gave it to him. When he got distracted looking at my phone, that was the split second when I grabbed the gun out of his hand,” Borda said.

Borda, a former member of the U.S. military, was joined by his brother, who’s about to enlist in the Air Force.

“Then my pops came out, and he got control of one guy,” Borda said.

During the struggle to get control of the gun the teen pulled the trigger, Borda said.

The family eventually subdued two of the teenagers and waited until police arrived.

There’s a large bullet hole in Borda’s truck. He said he’s grateful no one was hurt.

Home security cameras caught a frightening scene in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Thursday when police say an armed teenager tried to carjack a man outside his home.

It would have been the second carjacking to happen in front of Jheyco Borda’s home. But he and other family members decided to fight back.

Borda said he was installing a dashcam in his truck when he noticed a group of people, who appeared to be teens, walk onto his block.

“And I saw six kids come by playing around … And out of my corner of my eye, they stepped in front of my car … in front of the neighbor’s house,” Borda said in an interview with News4’s sister station Telemundo44.

Borda said he quickly called his brother, who was in the house, and then got out and began securing things in the back of his truck.

“I saw them put on a face mask. As soon as I figured that one out, I was like, something’s about to go down,” he said.

One of the teens then went up to Borda and pointed a gun in his face.

“And I told him, ‘The car is on. The keys are inside.’ And he saw my phone and was, like, ‘Give me your phone, too.’ So I gave it to him. When he got distracted looking at my phone, that was the split second when I grabbed the gun out of his hand,” Borda said.

Borda, a former member of the U.S. military, was joined by his brother, who’s about to enlist in the Air Force.

“Then my pops came out, and he got control of one guy,” Borda said.

During the struggle to get control of the gun the teen pulled the trigger, Borda said.

The family eventually subdued two of the teenagers and waited until police arrived.

There’s a large bullet hole in Borda’s truck. He said he’s grateful no one was hurt.

Home security cameras caught a frightening scene in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Thursday when police say an armed teenager tried to carjack a man outside his home.

It would have been the second carjacking to happen in front of Jheyco Borda’s home. But he and other family members decided to fight back.

Borda said he was installing a dashcam in his truck when he noticed a group of people, who appeared to be teens, walk onto his block.

“And I saw six kids come by playing around … And out of my corner of my eye, they stepped in front of my car … in front of the neighbor’s house,” Borda said in an interview with News4’s sister station Telemundo44.

Borda said he quickly called his brother, who was in the house, and then got out and began securing things in the back of his truck.

“I saw them put on a face mask. As soon as I figured that one out, I was like, something’s about to go down,” he said.

One of the teens then went up to Borda and pointed a gun in his face.

“And I told him, ‘The car is on. The keys are inside.’ And he saw my phone and was, like, ‘Give me your phone, too.’ So I gave it to him. When he got distracted looking at my phone, that was the split second when I grabbed the gun out of his hand,” Borda said.

Borda, a former member of the U.S. military, was joined by his brother, who’s about to enlist in the Air Force.

“Then my pops came out, and he got control of one guy,” Borda said.

During the struggle to get control of the gun the teen pulled the trigger, Borda said.

The family eventually subdued two of the teenagers and waited until police arrived.

There’s a large bullet hole in Borda’s truck. He said he’s grateful no one was hurt.

Editor’s Note: Some people may find the details of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

Brendan Banfield, the Virginia man convicted in the killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, in an elaborate double murder plot, was sentenced to life in prison Friday.

Prosecutors say Banfield was having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against her former boss-turned-lover, saying they posed as Christine online and lured Ryan to the home, making him think he was going there to carry out a consensual rape fantasy.

Editor’s Note: Some people may find the details of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

Brendan Banfield, the Virginia man convicted in the killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, in an elaborate double murder plot, was sentenced to life in prison Friday.

Prosecutors say Banfield was having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against her former boss-turned-lover, saying they posed as Christine online and lured Ryan to the home, making him think he was going there to carry out a consensual rape fantasy.

Editor’s Note: Some people may find the details of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

Brendan Banfield, the Virginia man convicted in the killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, in an elaborate double murder plot, was sentenced to life in prison Friday.

Prosecutors say Banfield was having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against her former boss-turned-lover, saying they posed as Christine online and lured Ryan to the home, making him think he was going there to carry out a consensual rape fantasy.

Editor’s Note: Some people may find the details of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

Brendan Banfield, the Virginia man convicted in the killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, in an elaborate double murder plot, was sentenced to life in prison Friday.

Prosecutors say Banfield was having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against her former boss-turned-lover, saying they posed as Christine online and lured Ryan to the home, making him think he was going there to carry out a consensual rape fantasy.

Editor’s Note: Some people may find the details of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

Brendan Banfield, the Virginia man convicted in the killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, in an elaborate double murder plot, was sentenced to life in prison Friday.

Prosecutors say Banfield was having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against her former boss-turned-lover, saying they posed as Christine online and lured Ryan to the home, making him think he was going there to carry out a consensual rape fantasy.

Editor’s Note: Some people may find the details of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

Brendan Banfield, the Virginia man convicted in the killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, in an elaborate double murder plot, was sentenced to life in prison Friday.

Prosecutors say Banfield was having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified against her former boss-turned-lover, saying they posed as Christine online and lured Ryan to the home, making him think he was going there to carry out a consensual rape fantasy.

An Ohio man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police say he caused a crash that killed a high school student and her grandmother on Christmas night.

Annie Vu, a student at Annandale High School, and her grandmother, Su Nguyen, died. They were 15 and 75.

Until Thursday, driver Devin Juliana, 48, of Steubenville, Ohio, only had been charged with a traffic violation: reckless driving. That stunned the grieving Vu family.

“From the onset, he was only charged with reckless driving, which does not fit the crime of the two deaths that we’ve experienced,” Kathie Vu, Annie’s Vu’s aunt said outside court in Fairfax County.

The Vu family was able to watch Juliana be taken to jail in handcuffs.

“This is a big step forward for us and for them to heal,” Kathie Vu said.

The Vu family was headed home on the Beltway in Fairfax County on Christmas night when police say Juliana slammed his Dodge Ram into the back of the family van. He was speeding at at least 100 mph, court documents said.

Annie Vu and Su Nguyen were killed, and Annie’s mother and brother were hurt. Juliana’s wife also was hurt and went to court Thursday on crutches.

Fairfax County Jan 5

Annandale teen and her grandmother killed in Christmas Day crash on Beltway

Fairfax County Jan 8

Driver charged in 100 mph Beltway crash that killed teen, grandmother on Christmas

Helped by a private attorney, the Vu family spent five months pushing the commonwealth’s attorney to upgrade the charges. When Juliana appeared in court to face the reckless driving charges, he was arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

“Nothing will bring our Annie and our grandmother back. So, the family is still suffering, and they were going through very tough grief,” Kathie Vu said. “But this is a piece of the journey, and there’s a little bit of justice that is being done.”

Search warrant documents say Juliana was speeding at between 100 and 109 mph, according to the truck’s control module, and there was no evidence of braking or attempts to steer away from a crash.

When a trooper interviewed him at the hospital, he said he and his wife had just picked up a food order and the truck windows had fogged up. The trooper wrote that Juliana later was unresponsive and could not be roused.

He is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

An Ohio man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police say he caused a crash that killed a high school student and her grandmother on Christmas night.

Annie Vu, a student at Annandale High School, and her grandmother, Su Nguyen, died. They were 15 and 75.

Until Thursday, driver Devin Juliana, 48, of Steubenville, Ohio, only had been charged with a traffic violation: reckless driving. That stunned the grieving Vu family.

“From the onset, he was only charged with reckless driving, which does not fit the crime of the two deaths that we’ve experienced,” Kathie Vu, Annie’s Vu’s aunt said outside court in Fairfax County.

The Vu family was able to watch Juliana be taken to jail in handcuffs.

“This is a big step forward for us and for them to heal,” Kathie Vu said.

The Vu family was headed home on the Beltway in Fairfax County on Christmas night when police say Juliana slammed his Dodge Ram into the back of the family van. He was speeding at at least 100 mph, court documents said.

Annie Vu and Su Nguyen were killed, and Annie’s mother and brother were hurt. Juliana’s wife also was hurt and went to court Thursday on crutches.

Fairfax County Jan 5

Annandale teen and her grandmother killed in Christmas Day crash on Beltway

Fairfax County Jan 8

Driver charged in 100 mph Beltway crash that killed teen, grandmother on Christmas

Helped by a private attorney, the Vu family spent five months pushing the commonwealth’s attorney to upgrade the charges. When Juliana appeared in court to face the reckless driving charges, he was arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

“Nothing will bring our Annie and our grandmother back. So, the family is still suffering, and they were going through very tough grief,” Kathie Vu said. “But this is a piece of the journey, and there’s a little bit of justice that is being done.”

Search warrant documents say Juliana was speeding at between 100 and 109 mph, according to the truck’s control module, and there was no evidence of braking or attempts to steer away from a crash.

When a trooper interviewed him at the hospital, he said he and his wife had just picked up a food order and the truck windows had fogged up. The trooper wrote that Juliana later was unresponsive and could not be roused.

He is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

An Ohio man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police say he caused a crash that killed a high school student and her grandmother on Christmas night.

Annie Vu, a student at Annandale High School, and her grandmother, Su Nguyen, died. They were 15 and 75.

Until Thursday, driver Devin Juliana, 48, of Steubenville, Ohio, only had been charged with a traffic violation: reckless driving. That stunned the grieving Vu family.

“From the onset, he was only charged with reckless driving, which does not fit the crime of the two deaths that we’ve experienced,” Kathie Vu, Annie’s Vu’s aunt said outside court in Fairfax County.

The Vu family was able to watch Juliana be taken to jail in handcuffs.

“This is a big step forward for us and for them to heal,” Kathie Vu said.

The Vu family was headed home on the Beltway in Fairfax County on Christmas night when police say Juliana slammed his Dodge Ram into the back of the family van. He was speeding at at least 100 mph, court documents said.

Annie Vu and Su Nguyen were killed, and Annie’s mother and brother were hurt. Juliana’s wife also was hurt and went to court Thursday on crutches.

Fairfax County Jan 5

Annandale teen and her grandmother killed in Christmas Day crash on Beltway

Fairfax County Jan 8

Driver charged in 100 mph Beltway crash that killed teen, grandmother on Christmas

Helped by a private attorney, the Vu family spent five months pushing the commonwealth’s attorney to upgrade the charges. When Juliana appeared in court to face the reckless driving charges, he was arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

“Nothing will bring our Annie and our grandmother back. So, the family is still suffering, and they were going through very tough grief,” Kathie Vu said. “But this is a piece of the journey, and there’s a little bit of justice that is being done.”

Search warrant documents say Juliana was speeding at between 100 and 109 mph, according to the truck’s control module, and there was no evidence of braking or attempts to steer away from a crash.

When a trooper interviewed him at the hospital, he said he and his wife had just picked up a food order and the truck windows had fogged up. The trooper wrote that Juliana later was unresponsive and could not be roused.

He is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

An Ohio man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police say he caused a crash that killed a high school student and her grandmother on Christmas night.

Annie Vu, a student at Annandale High School, and her grandmother, Su Nguyen, died. They were 15 and 75.

Until Thursday, driver Devin Juliana, 48, of Steubenville, Ohio, only had been charged with a traffic violation: reckless driving. That stunned the grieving Vu family.

“From the onset, he was only charged with reckless driving, which does not fit the crime of the two deaths that we’ve experienced,” Kathie Vu, Annie’s Vu’s aunt said outside court in Fairfax County.

The Vu family was able to watch Juliana be taken to jail in handcuffs.

“This is a big step forward for us and for them to heal,” Kathie Vu said.

The Vu family was headed home on the Beltway in Fairfax County on Christmas night when police say Juliana slammed his Dodge Ram into the back of the family van. He was speeding at at least 100 mph, court documents said.

Annie Vu and Su Nguyen were killed, and Annie’s mother and brother were hurt. Juliana’s wife also was hurt and went to court Thursday on crutches.

Fairfax County Jan 5

Annandale teen and her grandmother killed in Christmas Day crash on Beltway

Fairfax County Jan 8

Driver charged in 100 mph Beltway crash that killed teen, grandmother on Christmas

Helped by a private attorney, the Vu family spent five months pushing the commonwealth’s attorney to upgrade the charges. When Juliana appeared in court to face the reckless driving charges, he was arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

“Nothing will bring our Annie and our grandmother back. So, the family is still suffering, and they were going through very tough grief,” Kathie Vu said. “But this is a piece of the journey, and there’s a little bit of justice that is being done.”

Search warrant documents say Juliana was speeding at between 100 and 109 mph, according to the truck’s control module, and there was no evidence of braking or attempts to steer away from a crash.

When a trooper interviewed him at the hospital, he said he and his wife had just picked up a food order and the truck windows had fogged up. The trooper wrote that Juliana later was unresponsive and could not be roused.

He is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

An Ohio man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police say he caused a crash that killed a high school student and her grandmother on Christmas night.

Annie Vu, a student at Annandale High School, and her grandmother, Su Nguyen, died. They were 15 and 75.

Until Thursday, driver Devin Juliana, 48, of Steubenville, Ohio, only had been charged with a traffic violation: reckless driving. That stunned the grieving Vu family.

“From the onset, he was only charged with reckless driving, which does not fit the crime of the two deaths that we’ve experienced,” Kathie Vu, Annie’s Vu’s aunt said outside court in Fairfax County.

The Vu family was able to watch Juliana be taken to jail in handcuffs.

“This is a big step forward for us and for them to heal,” Kathie Vu said.

The Vu family was headed home on the Beltway in Fairfax County on Christmas night when police say Juliana slammed his Dodge Ram into the back of the family van. He was speeding at at least 100 mph, court documents said.

Annie Vu and Su Nguyen were killed, and Annie’s mother and brother were hurt. Juliana’s wife also was hurt and went to court Thursday on crutches.

Fairfax County Jan 5

Annandale teen and her grandmother killed in Christmas Day crash on Beltway

Fairfax County Jan 8

Driver charged in 100 mph Beltway crash that killed teen, grandmother on Christmas

Helped by a private attorney, the Vu family spent five months pushing the commonwealth’s attorney to upgrade the charges. When Juliana appeared in court to face the reckless driving charges, he was arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

“Nothing will bring our Annie and our grandmother back. So, the family is still suffering, and they were going through very tough grief,” Kathie Vu said. “But this is a piece of the journey, and there’s a little bit of justice that is being done.”

Search warrant documents say Juliana was speeding at between 100 and 109 mph, according to the truck’s control module, and there was no evidence of braking or attempts to steer away from a crash.

When a trooper interviewed him at the hospital, he said he and his wife had just picked up a food order and the truck windows had fogged up. The trooper wrote that Juliana later was unresponsive and could not be roused.

He is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

An Ohio man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police say he caused a crash that killed a high school student and her grandmother on Christmas night.

Annie Vu, a student at Annandale High School, and her grandmother, Su Nguyen, died. They were 15 and 75.

Until Thursday, driver Devin Juliana, 48, of Steubenville, Ohio, only had been charged with a traffic violation: reckless driving. That stunned the grieving Vu family.

“From the onset, he was only charged with reckless driving, which does not fit the crime of the two deaths that we’ve experienced,” Kathie Vu, Annie’s Vu’s aunt said outside court in Fairfax County.

The Vu family was able to watch Juliana be taken to jail in handcuffs.

“This is a big step forward for us and for them to heal,” Kathie Vu said.

The Vu family was headed home on the Beltway in Fairfax County on Christmas night when police say Juliana slammed his Dodge Ram into the back of the family van. He was speeding at at least 100 mph, court documents said.

Annie Vu and Su Nguyen were killed, and Annie’s mother and brother were hurt. Juliana’s wife also was hurt and went to court Thursday on crutches.

Fairfax County Jan 5

Annandale teen and her grandmother killed in Christmas Day crash on Beltway

Fairfax County Jan 8

Driver charged in 100 mph Beltway crash that killed teen, grandmother on Christmas

Helped by a private attorney, the Vu family spent five months pushing the commonwealth’s attorney to upgrade the charges. When Juliana appeared in court to face the reckless driving charges, he was arrested and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

“Nothing will bring our Annie and our grandmother back. So, the family is still suffering, and they were going through very tough grief,” Kathie Vu said. “But this is a piece of the journey, and there’s a little bit of justice that is being done.”

Search warrant documents say Juliana was speeding at between 100 and 109 mph, according to the truck’s control module, and there was no evidence of braking or attempts to steer away from a crash.

When a trooper interviewed him at the hospital, he said he and his wife had just picked up a food order and the truck windows had fogged up. The trooper wrote that Juliana later was unresponsive and could not be roused.

He is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

The Montgomery County school board approved a $3.7 billion budget Thursday that paves the way for 415 jobs to be cut. It’s the latest in an emotional process to balance the books that has parents, educators and school leaders at odds.

It was an extremely emotional day, with shouting and tears as families and employees begged the board not to approve these job cuts.

“You guys aren’t protecting our kids!” one parent shouted, before others at the meeting applauded in response.

She was escorted out of the meeting as members were about to vote on the budget, as she shouted, “Our kids aren’t safe! But y’all got a nice building here!”

In the end, though, the budget and the job cuts passed, with the school board saying they had no choice.

The school board said it had just weeks to figure out how to fill a budget gap of $36 million, after the Montgomery County Council gave Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) less money than it asked for.

MCPS says it now plans to cut more than 400 jobs.

Social workers, maintenance workers, family engagement specialists, English composition assistants and media assistants are all facing the elimination of their roles.

“English composition assistants help the most vulnerable kids,” said Lauren Quinn, an English composition assistant with MCPS. “We support every student in the building.”

“We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis right now,” MCPS social worker Cecily Barbee said. “Kids are actually trying to harm themselves and we are professionals in the building that are trusted. We’re licensed clinical professionals. We support not only the students but the staff, the parents, and we do a number of things throughout the community.”

Montgomery County May 27

MCPS offers buyouts to employees considering retirement to avoid layoffs

Montgomery County May 13

Montgomery County weighs school budget and staff cuts amid deficit

MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said he understands people’s concerns but that staffing costs make up about 90% of the budget and it’s been hard to find other places to cut.

“This is a mathematical certainty, that we have to make the adjustments that we have to make today, as painful as they are,” he said.

“These were just very agonizing choices we had to make,” Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven said.

“None of us ran for this position to make it worse for our kids,” she added.

Initially, the school board was planning even more job cuts, including the roles of 18 school psychologists and about 26 college and career navigators. The board says it was able to save those jobs by eliminating new jobs that were supposed to start next year.

Those include security assistants, secondary literacy instructors and special education elementary resource teachers. However, it’s little consolation for the employees who will still be cut next year.

“It’s stressful,” MCPS family engagement specialist Eduardo Garduno said. “I came here to help others, to do my part and reach out to my community, and bring something back, and after eight years of doing a great job …” He trailed off, shrugging.

Garduno said he attended the school board meeting specifically to find out if he would lose his job. The uncertainty of the past several weeks has been extremely tough, he said.

MCPS says the employees who were cut will still have the option to apply for other jobs that are open, and for which they’re qualified, within the school system.

The Montgomery County school board approved a $3.7 billion budget Thursday that paves the way for 415 jobs to be cut. It’s the latest in an emotional process to balance the books that has parents, educators and school leaders at odds.

It was an extremely emotional day, with shouting and tears as families and employees begged the board not to approve these job cuts.

“You guys aren’t protecting our kids!” one parent shouted, before others at the meeting applauded in response.

She was escorted out of the meeting as members were about to vote on the budget, as she shouted, “Our kids aren’t safe! But y’all got a nice building here!”

In the end, though, the budget and the job cuts passed, with the school board saying they had no choice.

The school board said it had just weeks to figure out how to fill a budget gap of $36 million, after the Montgomery County Council gave Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) less money than it asked for.

MCPS says it now plans to cut more than 400 jobs.

Social workers, maintenance workers, family engagement specialists, English composition assistants and media assistants are all facing the elimination of their roles.

“English composition assistants help the most vulnerable kids,” said Lauren Quinn, an English composition assistant with MCPS. “We support every student in the building.”

“We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis right now,” MCPS social worker Cecily Barbee said. “Kids are actually trying to harm themselves and we are professionals in the building that are trusted. We’re licensed clinical professionals. We support not only the students but the staff, the parents, and we do a number of things throughout the community.”

Montgomery County May 27

MCPS offers buyouts to employees considering retirement to avoid layoffs

Montgomery County May 13

Montgomery County weighs school budget and staff cuts amid deficit

MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said he understands people’s concerns but that staffing costs make up about 90% of the budget and it’s been hard to find other places to cut.

“This is a mathematical certainty, that we have to make the adjustments that we have to make today, as painful as they are,” he said.

“These were just very agonizing choices we had to make,” Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven said.

“None of us ran for this position to make it worse for our kids,” she added.

Initially, the school board was planning even more job cuts, including the roles of 18 school psychologists and about 26 college and career navigators. The board says it was able to save those jobs by eliminating new jobs that were supposed to start next year.

Those include security assistants, secondary literacy instructors and special education elementary resource teachers. However, it’s little consolation for the employees who will still be cut next year.

“It’s stressful,” MCPS family engagement specialist Eduardo Garduno said. “I came here to help others, to do my part and reach out to my community, and bring something back, and after eight years of doing a great job …” He trailed off, shrugging.

Garduno said he attended the school board meeting specifically to find out if he would lose his job. The uncertainty of the past several weeks has been extremely tough, he said.

MCPS says the employees who were cut will still have the option to apply for other jobs that are open, and for which they’re qualified, within the school system.

The Montgomery County school board approved a $3.7 billion budget Thursday that paves the way for 415 jobs to be cut. It’s the latest in an emotional process to balance the books that has parents, educators and school leaders at odds.

It was an extremely emotional day, with shouting and tears as families and employees begged the board not to approve these job cuts.

“You guys aren’t protecting our kids!” one parent shouted, before others at the meeting applauded in response.

She was escorted out of the meeting as members were about to vote on the budget, as she shouted, “Our kids aren’t safe! But y’all got a nice building here!”

In the end, though, the budget and the job cuts passed, with the school board saying they had no choice.

The school board said it had just weeks to figure out how to fill a budget gap of $36 million, after the Montgomery County Council gave Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) less money than it asked for.

MCPS says it now plans to cut more than 400 jobs.

Social workers, maintenance workers, family engagement specialists, English composition assistants and media assistants are all facing the elimination of their roles.

“English composition assistants help the most vulnerable kids,” said Lauren Quinn, an English composition assistant with MCPS. “We support every student in the building.”

“We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis right now,” MCPS social worker Cecily Barbee said. “Kids are actually trying to harm themselves and we are professionals in the building that are trusted. We’re licensed clinical professionals. We support not only the students but the staff, the parents, and we do a number of things throughout the community.”

Montgomery County May 27

MCPS offers buyouts to employees considering retirement to avoid layoffs

Montgomery County May 13

Montgomery County weighs school budget and staff cuts amid deficit

MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said he understands people’s concerns but that staffing costs make up about 90% of the budget and it’s been hard to find other places to cut.

“This is a mathematical certainty, that we have to make the adjustments that we have to make today, as painful as they are,” he said.

“These were just very agonizing choices we had to make,” Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven said.

“None of us ran for this position to make it worse for our kids,” she added.

Initially, the school board was planning even more job cuts, including the roles of 18 school psychologists and about 26 college and career navigators. The board says it was able to save those jobs by eliminating new jobs that were supposed to start next year.

Those include security assistants, secondary literacy instructors and special education elementary resource teachers. However, it’s little consolation for the employees who will still be cut next year.

“It’s stressful,” MCPS family engagement specialist Eduardo Garduno said. “I came here to help others, to do my part and reach out to my community, and bring something back, and after eight years of doing a great job …” He trailed off, shrugging.

Garduno said he attended the school board meeting specifically to find out if he would lose his job. The uncertainty of the past several weeks has been extremely tough, he said.

MCPS says the employees who were cut will still have the option to apply for other jobs that are open, and for which they’re qualified, within the school system.

The Montgomery County school board approved a $3.7 billion budget Thursday that paves the way for 415 jobs to be cut. It’s the latest in an emotional process to balance the books that has parents, educators and school leaders at odds.

It was an extremely emotional day, with shouting and tears as families and employees begged the board not to approve these job cuts.

“You guys aren’t protecting our kids!” one parent shouted, before others at the meeting applauded in response.

She was escorted out of the meeting as members were about to vote on the budget, as she shouted, “Our kids aren’t safe! But y’all got a nice building here!”

In the end, though, the budget and the job cuts passed, with the school board saying they had no choice.

The school board said it had just weeks to figure out how to fill a budget gap of $36 million, after the Montgomery County Council gave Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) less money than it asked for.

MCPS says it now plans to cut more than 400 jobs.

Social workers, maintenance workers, family engagement specialists, English composition assistants and media assistants are all facing the elimination of their roles.

“English composition assistants help the most vulnerable kids,” said Lauren Quinn, an English composition assistant with MCPS. “We support every student in the building.”

“We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis right now,” MCPS social worker Cecily Barbee said. “Kids are actually trying to harm themselves and we are professionals in the building that are trusted. We’re licensed clinical professionals. We support not only the students but the staff, the parents, and we do a number of things throughout the community.”

Montgomery County May 27

MCPS offers buyouts to employees considering retirement to avoid layoffs

Montgomery County May 13

Montgomery County weighs school budget and staff cuts amid deficit

MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said he understands people’s concerns but that staffing costs make up about 90% of the budget and it’s been hard to find other places to cut.

“This is a mathematical certainty, that we have to make the adjustments that we have to make today, as painful as they are,” he said.

“These were just very agonizing choices we had to make,” Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven said.

“None of us ran for this position to make it worse for our kids,” she added.

Initially, the school board was planning even more job cuts, including the roles of 18 school psychologists and about 26 college and career navigators. The board says it was able to save those jobs by eliminating new jobs that were supposed to start next year.

Those include security assistants, secondary literacy instructors and special education elementary resource teachers. However, it’s little consolation for the employees who will still be cut next year.

“It’s stressful,” MCPS family engagement specialist Eduardo Garduno said. “I came here to help others, to do my part and reach out to my community, and bring something back, and after eight years of doing a great job …” He trailed off, shrugging.

Garduno said he attended the school board meeting specifically to find out if he would lose his job. The uncertainty of the past several weeks has been extremely tough, he said.

MCPS says the employees who were cut will still have the option to apply for other jobs that are open, and for which they’re qualified, within the school system.

The Montgomery County school board approved a $3.7 billion budget Thursday that paves the way for 415 jobs to be cut. It’s the latest in an emotional process to balance the books that has parents, educators and school leaders at odds.

It was an extremely emotional day, with shouting and tears as families and employees begged the board not to approve these job cuts.

“You guys aren’t protecting our kids!” one parent shouted, before others at the meeting applauded in response.

She was escorted out of the meeting as members were about to vote on the budget, as she shouted, “Our kids aren’t safe! But y’all got a nice building here!”

In the end, though, the budget and the job cuts passed, with the school board saying they had no choice.

The school board said it had just weeks to figure out how to fill a budget gap of $36 million, after the Montgomery County Council gave Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) less money than it asked for.

MCPS says it now plans to cut more than 400 jobs.

Social workers, maintenance workers, family engagement specialists, English composition assistants and media assistants are all facing the elimination of their roles.

“English composition assistants help the most vulnerable kids,” said Lauren Quinn, an English composition assistant with MCPS. “We support every student in the building.”

“We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis right now,” MCPS social worker Cecily Barbee said. “Kids are actually trying to harm themselves and we are professionals in the building that are trusted. We’re licensed clinical professionals. We support not only the students but the staff, the parents, and we do a number of things throughout the community.”

Montgomery County May 27

MCPS offers buyouts to employees considering retirement to avoid layoffs

Montgomery County May 13

Montgomery County weighs school budget and staff cuts amid deficit

MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said he understands people’s concerns but that staffing costs make up about 90% of the budget and it’s been hard to find other places to cut.

“This is a mathematical certainty, that we have to make the adjustments that we have to make today, as painful as they are,” he said.

“These were just very agonizing choices we had to make,” Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven said.

“None of us ran for this position to make it worse for our kids,” she added.

Initially, the school board was planning even more job cuts, including the roles of 18 school psychologists and about 26 college and career navigators. The board says it was able to save those jobs by eliminating new jobs that were supposed to start next year.

Those include security assistants, secondary literacy instructors and special education elementary resource teachers. However, it’s little consolation for the employees who will still be cut next year.

“It’s stressful,” MCPS family engagement specialist Eduardo Garduno said. “I came here to help others, to do my part and reach out to my community, and bring something back, and after eight years of doing a great job …” He trailed off, shrugging.

Garduno said he attended the school board meeting specifically to find out if he would lose his job. The uncertainty of the past several weeks has been extremely tough, he said.

MCPS says the employees who were cut will still have the option to apply for other jobs that are open, and for which they’re qualified, within the school system.

The Montgomery County school board approved a $3.7 billion budget Thursday that paves the way for 415 jobs to be cut. It’s the latest in an emotional process to balance the books that has parents, educators and school leaders at odds.

It was an extremely emotional day, with shouting and tears as families and employees begged the board not to approve these job cuts.

“You guys aren’t protecting our kids!” one parent shouted, before others at the meeting applauded in response.

She was escorted out of the meeting as members were about to vote on the budget, as she shouted, “Our kids aren’t safe! But y’all got a nice building here!”

In the end, though, the budget and the job cuts passed, with the school board saying they had no choice.

The school board said it had just weeks to figure out how to fill a budget gap of $36 million, after the Montgomery County Council gave Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) less money than it asked for.

MCPS says it now plans to cut more than 400 jobs.

Social workers, maintenance workers, family engagement specialists, English composition assistants and media assistants are all facing the elimination of their roles.

“English composition assistants help the most vulnerable kids,” said Lauren Quinn, an English composition assistant with MCPS. “We support every student in the building.”

“We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis right now,” MCPS social worker Cecily Barbee said. “Kids are actually trying to harm themselves and we are professionals in the building that are trusted. We’re licensed clinical professionals. We support not only the students but the staff, the parents, and we do a number of things throughout the community.”

Montgomery County May 27

MCPS offers buyouts to employees considering retirement to avoid layoffs

Montgomery County May 13

Montgomery County weighs school budget and staff cuts amid deficit

MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said he understands people’s concerns but that staffing costs make up about 90% of the budget and it’s been hard to find other places to cut.

“This is a mathematical certainty, that we have to make the adjustments that we have to make today, as painful as they are,” he said.

“These were just very agonizing choices we had to make,” Board of Education President Grace Rivera-Oven said.

“None of us ran for this position to make it worse for our kids,” she added.

Initially, the school board was planning even more job cuts, including the roles of 18 school psychologists and about 26 college and career navigators. The board says it was able to save those jobs by eliminating new jobs that were supposed to start next year.

Those include security assistants, secondary literacy instructors and special education elementary resource teachers. However, it’s little consolation for the employees who will still be cut next year.

“It’s stressful,” MCPS family engagement specialist Eduardo Garduno said. “I came here to help others, to do my part and reach out to my community, and bring something back, and after eight years of doing a great job …” He trailed off, shrugging.

Garduno said he attended the school board meeting specifically to find out if he would lose his job. The uncertainty of the past several weeks has been extremely tough, he said.

MCPS says the employees who were cut will still have the option to apply for other jobs that are open, and for which they’re qualified, within the school system.

President Donald Trump’s plan to build a huge arch near Arlington National Cemetery was up for review Thursday and was met by protests.

The National Capital Planning Commission will evaluate the plan to build a 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, intended to inspire patriotism.

A mini model of the proposed arch stood on a table as speakers made fiery comments about the project.

“I am horrified by how quickly the arch project is moving through the approval process in spite of strong public opposition and compelling reasons for halting this plan,” one woman said.

Outside the commission on 9th Street NW, protesters held signs reading “No arch” and simply “No!”

They said money to build the structure could be used for more pressing purposes.

The planning commission requested new details on the project, including information on the height of the project and whether it violates the federal Height of Buildings Act, which usually does not allow D.C. buildings to be built over 160 feet tall.

The commission’s chair, Will Scharf, who was appointed to the commission by Trump, pushed back against references to the height act, saying other structures, including the National Archives building, have been allowed to be built over the 160-foot limit.

“I believe, speaking personally, that the best reading of the law is that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction,” he said.

Congress Jun 1

Trump arch plan violates ‘reverence' of Arlington National Cemetery, Beyer says

Protests May 24

'86 Trump's Arch': Multiday rally begins to protest triumphal arch plans

Donald Trump May 21

Key federal agency approves the design plan for Trump's Washington arch

The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing whether the arch poses a flight-path hazard, as the structure would be only about two miles from busy Reagan National Airport.

There also are questions about whether the arch would block views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The commission said a final determination on potentially approving the arch will happen at a later date, which has not been set.

The Commission of Fine Arts already granted approval for the project after Trump made some modest design changes.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

President Donald Trump’s plan to build a huge arch near Arlington National Cemetery was up for review Thursday and was met by protests.

The National Capital Planning Commission will evaluate the plan to build a 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, intended to inspire patriotism.

A mini model of the proposed arch stood on a table as speakers made fiery comments about the project.

“I am horrified by how quickly the arch project is moving through the approval process in spite of strong public opposition and compelling reasons for halting this plan,” one woman said.

Outside the commission on 9th Street NW, protesters held signs reading “No arch” and simply “No!”

They said money to build the structure could be used for more pressing purposes.

The planning commission requested new details on the project, including information on the height of the project and whether it violates the federal Height of Buildings Act, which usually does not allow D.C. buildings to be built over 160 feet tall.

The commission’s chair, Will Scharf, who was appointed to the commission by Trump, pushed back against references to the height act, saying other structures, including the National Archives building, have been allowed to be built over the 160-foot limit.

“I believe, speaking personally, that the best reading of the law is that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction,” he said.

Congress Jun 1

Trump arch plan violates ‘reverence' of Arlington National Cemetery, Beyer says

Protests May 24

'86 Trump's Arch': Multiday rally begins to protest triumphal arch plans

Donald Trump May 21

Key federal agency approves the design plan for Trump's Washington arch

The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing whether the arch poses a flight-path hazard, as the structure would be only about two miles from busy Reagan National Airport.

There also are questions about whether the arch would block views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The commission said a final determination on potentially approving the arch will happen at a later date, which has not been set.

The Commission of Fine Arts already granted approval for the project after Trump made some modest design changes.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

President Donald Trump’s plan to build a huge arch near Arlington National Cemetery was up for review Thursday and was met by protests.

The National Capital Planning Commission will evaluate the plan to build a 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, intended to inspire patriotism.

A mini model of the proposed arch stood on a table as speakers made fiery comments about the project.

“I am horrified by how quickly the arch project is moving through the approval process in spite of strong public opposition and compelling reasons for halting this plan,” one woman said.

Outside the commission on 9th Street NW, protesters held signs reading “No arch” and simply “No!”

They said money to build the structure could be used for more pressing purposes.

The planning commission requested new details on the project, including information on the height of the project and whether it violates the federal Height of Buildings Act, which usually does not allow D.C. buildings to be built over 160 feet tall.

The commission’s chair, Will Scharf, who was appointed to the commission by Trump, pushed back against references to the height act, saying other structures, including the National Archives building, have been allowed to be built over the 160-foot limit.

“I believe, speaking personally, that the best reading of the law is that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction,” he said.

Congress Jun 1

Trump arch plan violates ‘reverence' of Arlington National Cemetery, Beyer says

Protests May 24

'86 Trump's Arch': Multiday rally begins to protest triumphal arch plans

Donald Trump May 21

Key federal agency approves the design plan for Trump's Washington arch

The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing whether the arch poses a flight-path hazard, as the structure would be only about two miles from busy Reagan National Airport.

There also are questions about whether the arch would block views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The commission said a final determination on potentially approving the arch will happen at a later date, which has not been set.

The Commission of Fine Arts already granted approval for the project after Trump made some modest design changes.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

President Donald Trump’s plan to build a huge arch near Arlington National Cemetery was up for review Thursday and was met by protests.

The National Capital Planning Commission will evaluate the plan to build a 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, intended to inspire patriotism.

A mini model of the proposed arch stood on a table as speakers made fiery comments about the project.

“I am horrified by how quickly the arch project is moving through the approval process in spite of strong public opposition and compelling reasons for halting this plan,” one woman said.

Outside the commission on 9th Street NW, protesters held signs reading “No arch” and simply “No!”

They said money to build the structure could be used for more pressing purposes.

The planning commission requested new details on the project, including information on the height of the project and whether it violates the federal Height of Buildings Act, which usually does not allow D.C. buildings to be built over 160 feet tall.

The commission’s chair, Will Scharf, who was appointed to the commission by Trump, pushed back against references to the height act, saying other structures, including the National Archives building, have been allowed to be built over the 160-foot limit.

“I believe, speaking personally, that the best reading of the law is that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction,” he said.

Congress Jun 1

Trump arch plan violates ‘reverence' of Arlington National Cemetery, Beyer says

Protests May 24

'86 Trump's Arch': Multiday rally begins to protest triumphal arch plans

Donald Trump May 21

Key federal agency approves the design plan for Trump's Washington arch

The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing whether the arch poses a flight-path hazard, as the structure would be only about two miles from busy Reagan National Airport.

There also are questions about whether the arch would block views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The commission said a final determination on potentially approving the arch will happen at a later date, which has not been set.

The Commission of Fine Arts already granted approval for the project after Trump made some modest design changes.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

President Donald Trump’s plan to build a huge arch near Arlington National Cemetery was up for review Thursday and was met by protests.

The National Capital Planning Commission will evaluate the plan to build a 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, intended to inspire patriotism.

A mini model of the proposed arch stood on a table as speakers made fiery comments about the project.

“I am horrified by how quickly the arch project is moving through the approval process in spite of strong public opposition and compelling reasons for halting this plan,” one woman said.

Outside the commission on 9th Street NW, protesters held signs reading “No arch” and simply “No!”

They said money to build the structure could be used for more pressing purposes.

The planning commission requested new details on the project, including information on the height of the project and whether it violates the federal Height of Buildings Act, which usually does not allow D.C. buildings to be built over 160 feet tall.

The commission’s chair, Will Scharf, who was appointed to the commission by Trump, pushed back against references to the height act, saying other structures, including the National Archives building, have been allowed to be built over the 160-foot limit.

“I believe, speaking personally, that the best reading of the law is that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction,” he said.

Congress Jun 1

Trump arch plan violates ‘reverence' of Arlington National Cemetery, Beyer says

Protests May 24

'86 Trump's Arch': Multiday rally begins to protest triumphal arch plans

Donald Trump May 21

Key federal agency approves the design plan for Trump's Washington arch

The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing whether the arch poses a flight-path hazard, as the structure would be only about two miles from busy Reagan National Airport.

There also are questions about whether the arch would block views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The commission said a final determination on potentially approving the arch will happen at a later date, which has not been set.

The Commission of Fine Arts already granted approval for the project after Trump made some modest design changes.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

President Donald Trump’s plan to build a huge arch near Arlington National Cemetery was up for review Thursday and was met by protests.

The National Capital Planning Commission will evaluate the plan to build a 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, intended to inspire patriotism.

A mini model of the proposed arch stood on a table as speakers made fiery comments about the project.

“I am horrified by how quickly the arch project is moving through the approval process in spite of strong public opposition and compelling reasons for halting this plan,” one woman said.

Outside the commission on 9th Street NW, protesters held signs reading “No arch” and simply “No!”

They said money to build the structure could be used for more pressing purposes.

The planning commission requested new details on the project, including information on the height of the project and whether it violates the federal Height of Buildings Act, which usually does not allow D.C. buildings to be built over 160 feet tall.

The commission’s chair, Will Scharf, who was appointed to the commission by Trump, pushed back against references to the height act, saying other structures, including the National Archives building, have been allowed to be built over the 160-foot limit.

“I believe, speaking personally, that the best reading of the law is that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction,” he said.

Congress Jun 1

Trump arch plan violates ‘reverence' of Arlington National Cemetery, Beyer says

Protests May 24

'86 Trump's Arch': Multiday rally begins to protest triumphal arch plans

Donald Trump May 21

Key federal agency approves the design plan for Trump's Washington arch

The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing whether the arch poses a flight-path hazard, as the structure would be only about two miles from busy Reagan National Airport.

There also are questions about whether the arch would block views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The commission said a final determination on potentially approving the arch will happen at a later date, which has not been set.

The Commission of Fine Arts already granted approval for the project after Trump made some modest design changes.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

A man led a woman on a car chase through Fredericksburg, shot and killed her in front of their children and then took his own life, authorities say. The children, ages 3 and 7, were hurt when their mother’s car crashed.

Fredericksburg police said the murder-suicide Wednesday evening was part of a tragic domestic dispute. The names of the dead were not immediately released.

The man chased the woman at Emancipation Highway (Route 1) and Olde William Street and began shooting at her, police said the initial investigation showed.

The woman was shot several times and tried to get away. She made it about a half-mile north and crashed near College Avenue, near the University of Mary Washington. Officers responded at about 5:30 p.m. and tried to save the woman. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Video obtained by News4 shows police surrounding the crashed car.

Prince George's County Jun 4

Woman shot in Upper Marlboro driveway has died; ex found dead in South Carolina

Virginia Apr 16

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, self in Annandale home, police say

Virginia Apr 21

She was 10 when her dad killed her stepmom then himself. How she's healed and thrived

The children received minor injuries in the car crash but were not shot by their father, police said.

Officers tried to pull over the man, he refused to stop and officers started to chase him, police said.

“As the pursuit approached Wilderness Lane, the driver suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said.

The children were put into the care of other family members.

“The Fredericksburg Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy,” police said.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

A man led a woman on a car chase through Fredericksburg, shot and killed her in front of their children and then took his own life, authorities say. The children, ages 3 and 7, were hurt when their mother’s car crashed.

Fredericksburg police said the murder-suicide Wednesday evening was part of a tragic domestic dispute. The names of the dead were not immediately released.

The man chased the woman at Emancipation Highway (Route 1) and Olde William Street and began shooting at her, police said the initial investigation showed.

The woman was shot several times and tried to get away. She made it about a half-mile north and crashed near College Avenue, near the University of Mary Washington. Officers responded at about 5:30 p.m. and tried to save the woman. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Video obtained by News4 shows police surrounding the crashed car.

Prince George's County Jun 4

Woman shot in Upper Marlboro driveway has died; ex found dead in South Carolina

Virginia Apr 16

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, self in Annandale home, police say

Virginia Apr 21

She was 10 when her dad killed her stepmom then himself. How she's healed and thrived

The children received minor injuries in the car crash but were not shot by their father, police said.

Officers tried to pull over the man, he refused to stop and officers started to chase him, police said.

“As the pursuit approached Wilderness Lane, the driver suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said.

The children were put into the care of other family members.

“The Fredericksburg Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy,” police said.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

A man led a woman on a car chase through Fredericksburg, shot and killed her in front of their children and then took his own life, authorities say. The children, ages 3 and 7, were hurt when their mother’s car crashed.

Fredericksburg police said the murder-suicide Wednesday evening was part of a tragic domestic dispute. The names of the dead were not immediately released.

The man chased the woman at Emancipation Highway (Route 1) and Olde William Street and began shooting at her, police said the initial investigation showed.

The woman was shot several times and tried to get away. She made it about a half-mile north and crashed near College Avenue, near the University of Mary Washington. Officers responded at about 5:30 p.m. and tried to save the woman. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Video obtained by News4 shows police surrounding the crashed car.

Prince George's County Jun 4

Woman shot in Upper Marlboro driveway has died; ex found dead in South Carolina

Virginia Apr 16

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, self in Annandale home, police say

Virginia Apr 21

She was 10 when her dad killed her stepmom then himself. How she's healed and thrived

The children received minor injuries in the car crash but were not shot by their father, police said.

Officers tried to pull over the man, he refused to stop and officers started to chase him, police said.

“As the pursuit approached Wilderness Lane, the driver suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said.

The children were put into the care of other family members.

“The Fredericksburg Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy,” police said.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

A man led a woman on a car chase through Fredericksburg, shot and killed her in front of their children and then took his own life, authorities say. The children, ages 3 and 7, were hurt when their mother’s car crashed.

Fredericksburg police said the murder-suicide Wednesday evening was part of a tragic domestic dispute. The names of the dead were not immediately released.

The man chased the woman at Emancipation Highway (Route 1) and Olde William Street and began shooting at her, police said the initial investigation showed.

The woman was shot several times and tried to get away. She made it about a half-mile north and crashed near College Avenue, near the University of Mary Washington. Officers responded at about 5:30 p.m. and tried to save the woman. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Video obtained by News4 shows police surrounding the crashed car.

Prince George's County Jun 4

Woman shot in Upper Marlboro driveway has died; ex found dead in South Carolina

Virginia Apr 16

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, self in Annandale home, police say

Virginia Apr 21

She was 10 when her dad killed her stepmom then himself. How she's healed and thrived

The children received minor injuries in the car crash but were not shot by their father, police said.

Officers tried to pull over the man, he refused to stop and officers started to chase him, police said.

“As the pursuit approached Wilderness Lane, the driver suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said.

The children were put into the care of other family members.

“The Fredericksburg Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy,” police said.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

A man led a woman on a car chase through Fredericksburg, shot and killed her in front of their children and then took his own life, authorities say. The children, ages 3 and 7, were hurt when their mother’s car crashed.

Fredericksburg police said the murder-suicide Wednesday evening was part of a tragic domestic dispute. The names of the dead were not immediately released.

The man chased the woman at Emancipation Highway (Route 1) and Olde William Street and began shooting at her, police said the initial investigation showed.

The woman was shot several times and tried to get away. She made it about a half-mile north and crashed near College Avenue, near the University of Mary Washington. Officers responded at about 5:30 p.m. and tried to save the woman. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Video obtained by News4 shows police surrounding the crashed car.

Prince George's County Jun 4

Woman shot in Upper Marlboro driveway has died; ex found dead in South Carolina

Virginia Apr 16

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, self in Annandale home, police say

Virginia Apr 21

She was 10 when her dad killed her stepmom then himself. How she's healed and thrived

The children received minor injuries in the car crash but were not shot by their father, police said.

Officers tried to pull over the man, he refused to stop and officers started to chase him, police said.

“As the pursuit approached Wilderness Lane, the driver suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said.

The children were put into the care of other family members.

“The Fredericksburg Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy,” police said.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

A man led a woman on a car chase through Fredericksburg, shot and killed her in front of their children and then took his own life, authorities say. The children, ages 3 and 7, were hurt when their mother’s car crashed.

Fredericksburg police said the murder-suicide Wednesday evening was part of a tragic domestic dispute. The names of the dead were not immediately released.

The man chased the woman at Emancipation Highway (Route 1) and Olde William Street and began shooting at her, police said the initial investigation showed.

The woman was shot several times and tried to get away. She made it about a half-mile north and crashed near College Avenue, near the University of Mary Washington. Officers responded at about 5:30 p.m. and tried to save the woman. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Video obtained by News4 shows police surrounding the crashed car.

Prince George's County Jun 4

Woman shot in Upper Marlboro driveway has died; ex found dead in South Carolina

Virginia Apr 16

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, self in Annandale home, police say

Virginia Apr 21

She was 10 when her dad killed her stepmom then himself. How she's healed and thrived

The children received minor injuries in the car crash but were not shot by their father, police said.

Officers tried to pull over the man, he refused to stop and officers started to chase him, police said.

“As the pursuit approached Wilderness Lane, the driver suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said.

The children were put into the care of other family members.

“The Fredericksburg Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy,” police said.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Attorneys for convicted double murderer Brendan Banfield failed their longshot attempt to have the jury’s guilty verdict thrown out one day before he is set to be sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and another man inside his family’s Fairax County home.

Banfield’s defense attorney, John Carroll, argued that three errors were permitted at trial —essentially factual errors, not real legal issues — and tried to convince the court that those errors had a material impact on the jury’s decision to convict.

But the judge who presided over Banfield’s criminal trial quickly dismissed the motion to acquit him during the Thursday morning hearing.

Back in February, Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for conspiring with the family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he was having an affair, to lure a man to come to the family’s Herndon home to perform a staged rape fantasy with Banfield’s wife, Christine.

Prosecutors said — and the jury agreed — that Banfield then brutally murdered Christine and the other man, Joseph Ryan.

Crime and Courts Jun 3

The Au Pair Affair: Banfield's last-ditch attempt to get murder verdict voided

Crime and Courts May 6

Convicted and cashing in? Au pair in Virginia murder plot tries to sell her story

The Case: Au Pair Affair Trial Feb 13

Recap: Juliana Peres Magalhães gets 10 years in Au Pair Affair murder case

Carroll claimed prosecutors pointed to Banfield’s silence during the investigation as evidence against him. Banfield did not cooperate with the investigation or police.

Prosecutors said the silence they called out was well before he was ever arrested and therefore he doesn’t have the protections afforded to everyone under Miranda rights.

As for the other two matters, Carroll said the court violated what’s called a rule on witnesses, and lastly, that the commonwealth didn’t correct false testimony from the au pair.

Attorneys for convicted double murderer Brendan Banfield failed their longshot attempt to have the jury’s guilty verdict thrown out one day before he is set to be sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and another man inside his family’s Fairax County home.

Banfield’s defense attorney, John Carroll, argued that three errors were permitted at trial —essentially factual errors, not real legal issues — and tried to convince the court that those errors had a material impact on the jury’s decision to convict.

But the judge who presided over Banfield’s criminal trial quickly dismissed the motion to acquit him during the Thursday morning hearing.

Back in February, Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for conspiring with the family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he was having an affair, to lure a man to come to the family’s Herndon home to perform a staged rape fantasy with Banfield’s wife, Christine.

Prosecutors said — and the jury agreed — that Banfield then brutally murdered Christine and the other man, Joseph Ryan.

Crime and Courts Jun 3

The Au Pair Affair: Banfield's last-ditch attempt to get murder verdict voided

Crime and Courts May 6

Convicted and cashing in? Au pair in Virginia murder plot tries to sell her story

The Case: Au Pair Affair Trial Feb 13

Recap: Juliana Peres Magalhães gets 10 years in Au Pair Affair murder case

Carroll claimed prosecutors pointed to Banfield’s silence during the investigation as evidence against him. Banfield did not cooperate with the investigation or police.

Prosecutors said the silence they called out was well before he was ever arrested and therefore he doesn’t have the protections afforded to everyone under Miranda rights.

As for the other two matters, Carroll said the court violated what’s called a rule on witnesses, and lastly, that the commonwealth didn’t correct false testimony from the au pair.

Attorneys for convicted double murderer Brendan Banfield failed their longshot attempt to have the jury’s guilty verdict thrown out one day before he is set to be sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and another man inside his family’s Fairax County home.

Banfield’s defense attorney, John Carroll, argued that three errors were permitted at trial —essentially factual errors, not real legal issues — and tried to convince the court that those errors had a material impact on the jury’s decision to convict.

But the judge who presided over Banfield’s criminal trial quickly dismissed the motion to acquit him during the Thursday morning hearing.

Back in February, Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for conspiring with the family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he was having an affair, to lure a man to come to the family’s Herndon home to perform a staged rape fantasy with Banfield’s wife, Christine.

Prosecutors said — and the jury agreed — that Banfield then brutally murdered Christine and the other man, Joseph Ryan.

Crime and Courts Jun 3

The Au Pair Affair: Banfield's last-ditch attempt to get murder verdict voided

Crime and Courts May 6

Convicted and cashing in? Au pair in Virginia murder plot tries to sell her story

The Case: Au Pair Affair Trial Feb 13

Recap: Juliana Peres Magalhães gets 10 years in Au Pair Affair murder case

Carroll claimed prosecutors pointed to Banfield’s silence during the investigation as evidence against him. Banfield did not cooperate with the investigation or police.

Prosecutors said the silence they called out was well before he was ever arrested and therefore he doesn’t have the protections afforded to everyone under Miranda rights.

As for the other two matters, Carroll said the court violated what’s called a rule on witnesses, and lastly, that the commonwealth didn’t correct false testimony from the au pair.

Attorneys for convicted double murderer Brendan Banfield failed their longshot attempt to have the jury’s guilty verdict thrown out one day before he is set to be sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and another man inside his family’s Fairax County home.

Banfield’s defense attorney, John Carroll, argued that three errors were permitted at trial —essentially factual errors, not real legal issues — and tried to convince the court that those errors had a material impact on the jury’s decision to convict.

But the judge who presided over Banfield’s criminal trial quickly dismissed the motion to acquit him during the Thursday morning hearing.

Back in February, Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for conspiring with the family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he was having an affair, to lure a man to come to the family’s Herndon home to perform a staged rape fantasy with Banfield’s wife, Christine.

Prosecutors said — and the jury agreed — that Banfield then brutally murdered Christine and the other man, Joseph Ryan.

Crime and Courts Jun 3

The Au Pair Affair: Banfield's last-ditch attempt to get murder verdict voided

Crime and Courts May 6

Convicted and cashing in? Au pair in Virginia murder plot tries to sell her story

The Case: Au Pair Affair Trial Feb 13

Recap: Juliana Peres Magalhães gets 10 years in Au Pair Affair murder case

Carroll claimed prosecutors pointed to Banfield’s silence during the investigation as evidence against him. Banfield did not cooperate with the investigation or police.

Prosecutors said the silence they called out was well before he was ever arrested and therefore he doesn’t have the protections afforded to everyone under Miranda rights.

As for the other two matters, Carroll said the court violated what’s called a rule on witnesses, and lastly, that the commonwealth didn’t correct false testimony from the au pair.

Attorneys for convicted double murderer Brendan Banfield failed their longshot attempt to have the jury’s guilty verdict thrown out one day before he is set to be sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and another man inside his family’s Fairax County home.

Banfield’s defense attorney, John Carroll, argued that three errors were permitted at trial —essentially factual errors, not real legal issues — and tried to convince the court that those errors had a material impact on the jury’s decision to convict.

But the judge who presided over Banfield’s criminal trial quickly dismissed the motion to acquit him during the Thursday morning hearing.

Back in February, Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for conspiring with the family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he was having an affair, to lure a man to come to the family’s Herndon home to perform a staged rape fantasy with Banfield’s wife, Christine.

Prosecutors said — and the jury agreed — that Banfield then brutally murdered Christine and the other man, Joseph Ryan.

Crime and Courts Jun 3

The Au Pair Affair: Banfield's last-ditch attempt to get murder verdict voided

Crime and Courts May 6

Convicted and cashing in? Au pair in Virginia murder plot tries to sell her story

The Case: Au Pair Affair Trial Feb 13

Recap: Juliana Peres Magalhães gets 10 years in Au Pair Affair murder case

Carroll claimed prosecutors pointed to Banfield’s silence during the investigation as evidence against him. Banfield did not cooperate with the investigation or police.

Prosecutors said the silence they called out was well before he was ever arrested and therefore he doesn’t have the protections afforded to everyone under Miranda rights.

As for the other two matters, Carroll said the court violated what’s called a rule on witnesses, and lastly, that the commonwealth didn’t correct false testimony from the au pair.

Attorneys for convicted double murderer Brendan Banfield failed their longshot attempt to have the jury’s guilty verdict thrown out one day before he is set to be sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and another man inside his family’s Fairax County home.

Banfield’s defense attorney, John Carroll, argued that three errors were permitted at trial —essentially factual errors, not real legal issues — and tried to convince the court that those errors had a material impact on the jury’s decision to convict.

But the judge who presided over Banfield’s criminal trial quickly dismissed the motion to acquit him during the Thursday morning hearing.

Back in February, Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for conspiring with the family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he was having an affair, to lure a man to come to the family’s Herndon home to perform a staged rape fantasy with Banfield’s wife, Christine.

Prosecutors said — and the jury agreed — that Banfield then brutally murdered Christine and the other man, Joseph Ryan.

Crime and Courts Jun 3

The Au Pair Affair: Banfield's last-ditch attempt to get murder verdict voided

Crime and Courts May 6

Convicted and cashing in? Au pair in Virginia murder plot tries to sell her story

The Case: Au Pair Affair Trial Feb 13

Recap: Juliana Peres Magalhães gets 10 years in Au Pair Affair murder case

Carroll claimed prosecutors pointed to Banfield’s silence during the investigation as evidence against him. Banfield did not cooperate with the investigation or police.

Prosecutors said the silence they called out was well before he was ever arrested and therefore he doesn’t have the protections afforded to everyone under Miranda rights.

As for the other two matters, Carroll said the court violated what’s called a rule on witnesses, and lastly, that the commonwealth didn’t correct false testimony from the au pair.

A woman who was shot multiple times outside a home in Maryland has died of her injuries, police said Thursday morning. They identified her as 29-year-old Kayla Richardson of Upper Marlboro.

Richardson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the shooting Tuesday morning. The suspect in the case was found dead in South Carolina that evening.

The victim and the suspect had been in a relationship previously, Prince George’s County police said.

Neighbors spoke fondly of Richardson, who grew up in the neighborhood and returned from South Carolina as her mother was ill with cancer.

“It’s a big loss, and it’s a tragic loss, and it’s a waste of life,” one neighbor said, fighting tears. “She had just begun to enjoy life. Just about to turn 30 years old.”

June 4 was her birthday.

Richardson’s family declined to comment on Thursday.

Richardson was shot multiple times about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

Prince George’s County detectives identified the suspect as 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, based on a preliminary investigation. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Morris, but he was found dead in his South Carolina home that night. Authorities believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a Prince George’s County police spokesperson said.

Authorities said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

Residents said the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood, describing the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she couldn’t remember something like this happening before.

“I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of,” the neighbor said.

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators went door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

A woman who was shot multiple times outside a home in Maryland has died of her injuries, police said Thursday morning. They identified her as 29-year-old Kayla Richardson of Upper Marlboro.

Richardson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the shooting Tuesday morning. The suspect in the case was found dead in South Carolina that evening.

The victim and the suspect had been in a relationship previously, Prince George’s County police said.

Neighbors spoke fondly of Richardson, who grew up in the neighborhood and returned from South Carolina as her mother was ill with cancer.

“It’s a big loss, and it’s a tragic loss, and it’s a waste of life,” one neighbor said, fighting tears. “She had just begun to enjoy life. Just about to turn 30 years old.”

June 4 was her birthday.

Richardson’s family declined to comment on Thursday.

Richardson was shot multiple times about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

Prince George’s County detectives identified the suspect as 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, based on a preliminary investigation. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Morris, but he was found dead in his South Carolina home that night. Authorities believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a Prince George’s County police spokesperson said.

Authorities said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

Residents said the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood, describing the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she couldn’t remember something like this happening before.

“I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of,” the neighbor said.

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators went door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

A woman who was shot multiple times outside a home in Maryland has died of her injuries, police said Thursday morning. They identified her as 29-year-old Kayla Richardson of Upper Marlboro.

Richardson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the shooting Tuesday morning. The suspect in the case was found dead in South Carolina that evening.

The victim and the suspect had been in a relationship previously, Prince George’s County police said.

Neighbors spoke fondly of Richardson, who grew up in the neighborhood and returned from South Carolina as her mother was ill with cancer.

“It’s a big loss, and it’s a tragic loss, and it’s a waste of life,” one neighbor said, fighting tears. “She had just begun to enjoy life. Just about to turn 30 years old.”

June 4 was her birthday.

Richardson’s family declined to comment on Thursday.

Richardson was shot multiple times about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

Prince George’s County detectives identified the suspect as 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, based on a preliminary investigation. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Morris, but he was found dead in his South Carolina home that night. Authorities believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a Prince George’s County police spokesperson said.

Authorities said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

Residents said the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood, describing the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she couldn’t remember something like this happening before.

“I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of,” the neighbor said.

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators went door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

A woman who was shot multiple times outside a home in Maryland has died of her injuries, police said Thursday morning. They identified her as 29-year-old Kayla Richardson of Upper Marlboro.

Richardson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the shooting Tuesday morning. The suspect in the case was found dead in South Carolina that evening.

The victim and the suspect had been in a relationship previously, Prince George’s County police said.

Neighbors spoke fondly of Richardson, who grew up in the neighborhood and returned from South Carolina as her mother was ill with cancer.

“It’s a big loss, and it’s a tragic loss, and it’s a waste of life,” one neighbor said, fighting tears. “She had just begun to enjoy life. Just about to turn 30 years old.”

June 4 was her birthday.

Richardson’s family declined to comment on Thursday.

Richardson was shot multiple times about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

Prince George’s County detectives identified the suspect as 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, based on a preliminary investigation. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Morris, but he was found dead in his South Carolina home that night. Authorities believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a Prince George’s County police spokesperson said.

Authorities said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

Residents said the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood, describing the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she couldn’t remember something like this happening before.

“I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of,” the neighbor said.

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators went door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

A woman who was shot multiple times outside a home in Maryland has died of her injuries, police said Thursday morning. They identified her as 29-year-old Kayla Richardson of Upper Marlboro.

Richardson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the shooting Tuesday morning. The suspect in the case was found dead in South Carolina that evening.

The victim and the suspect had been in a relationship previously, Prince George’s County police said.

Neighbors spoke fondly of Richardson, who grew up in the neighborhood and returned from South Carolina as her mother was ill with cancer.

“It’s a big loss, and it’s a tragic loss, and it’s a waste of life,” one neighbor said, fighting tears. “She had just begun to enjoy life. Just about to turn 30 years old.”

June 4 was her birthday.

Richardson’s family declined to comment on Thursday.

Richardson was shot multiple times about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

Prince George’s County detectives identified the suspect as 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, based on a preliminary investigation. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Morris, but he was found dead in his South Carolina home that night. Authorities believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a Prince George’s County police spokesperson said.

Authorities said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

Residents said the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood, describing the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she couldn’t remember something like this happening before.

“I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of,” the neighbor said.

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators went door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

A woman who was shot multiple times outside a home in Maryland has died of her injuries, police said Thursday morning. They identified her as 29-year-old Kayla Richardson of Upper Marlboro.

Richardson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the shooting Tuesday morning. The suspect in the case was found dead in South Carolina that evening.

The victim and the suspect had been in a relationship previously, Prince George’s County police said.

Neighbors spoke fondly of Richardson, who grew up in the neighborhood and returned from South Carolina as her mother was ill with cancer.

“It’s a big loss, and it’s a tragic loss, and it’s a waste of life,” one neighbor said, fighting tears. “She had just begun to enjoy life. Just about to turn 30 years old.”

June 4 was her birthday.

Richardson’s family declined to comment on Thursday.

Richardson was shot multiple times about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

Prince George’s County detectives identified the suspect as 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, based on a preliminary investigation. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Morris, but he was found dead in his South Carolina home that night. Authorities believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a Prince George’s County police spokesperson said.

Authorities said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

Residents said the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood, describing the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she couldn’t remember something like this happening before.

“I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of,” the neighbor said.

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators went door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department would “be happy” to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica during a congressional hearing Tuesday.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains free in the U.S. pending deportation a year after ICE arrested and deported him to El Salvador.

There is an ongoing fight with the Trump administration to deport Abrego to Liberia. His attorneys say he should be sent to Costa Rica instead.

During the congressional hearing, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked Mullin if he’d be willing to allow Abrego to go to Costa Rica. News4 obtained video of part of the exchange.

“The point is he has said he will be removed to Costa Rica and Costa Rica has accepted that,” Van Hollen said.

“If he’s willing to do that, we’ll be happy to send him,” Mullin said.

“The point, Mr. Secretary, is the administration, the point is that they’re engaged in what a judge already found to be a vindictive prosecution,” Van Hollen said after Mullin had interjected.

Abrego’s team notified a federal court about the exchange in hopes the government would drop its Liberia demands.

Immigration May 22

Federal judge dismisses human trafficking charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Trump administration Mar 16

Abrego, Trump at stalemate 1 year after mistaken deportation

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department would “be happy” to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica during a congressional hearing Tuesday.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains free in the U.S. pending deportation a year after ICE arrested and deported him to El Salvador.

There is an ongoing fight with the Trump administration to deport Abrego to Liberia. His attorneys say he should be sent to Costa Rica instead.

During the congressional hearing, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked Mullin if he’d be willing to allow Abrego to go to Costa Rica. News4 obtained video of part of the exchange.

“The point is he has said he will be removed to Costa Rica and Costa Rica has accepted that,” Van Hollen said.

“If he’s willing to do that, we’ll be happy to send him,” Mullin said.

“The point, Mr. Secretary, is the administration, the point is that they’re engaged in what a judge already found to be a vindictive prosecution,” Van Hollen said after Mullin had interjected.

Abrego’s team notified a federal court about the exchange in hopes the government would drop its Liberia demands.

Immigration May 22

Federal judge dismisses human trafficking charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Trump administration Mar 16

Abrego, Trump at stalemate 1 year after mistaken deportation

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department would “be happy” to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica during a congressional hearing Tuesday.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains free in the U.S. pending deportation a year after ICE arrested and deported him to El Salvador.

There is an ongoing fight with the Trump administration to deport Abrego to Liberia. His attorneys say he should be sent to Costa Rica instead.

During the congressional hearing, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked Mullin if he’d be willing to allow Abrego to go to Costa Rica. News4 obtained video of part of the exchange.

“The point is he has said he will be removed to Costa Rica and Costa Rica has accepted that,” Van Hollen said.

“If he’s willing to do that, we’ll be happy to send him,” Mullin said.

“The point, Mr. Secretary, is the administration, the point is that they’re engaged in what a judge already found to be a vindictive prosecution,” Van Hollen said after Mullin had interjected.

Abrego’s team notified a federal court about the exchange in hopes the government would drop its Liberia demands.

Immigration May 22

Federal judge dismisses human trafficking charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Trump administration Mar 16

Abrego, Trump at stalemate 1 year after mistaken deportation

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department would “be happy” to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica during a congressional hearing Tuesday.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains free in the U.S. pending deportation a year after ICE arrested and deported him to El Salvador.

There is an ongoing fight with the Trump administration to deport Abrego to Liberia. His attorneys say he should be sent to Costa Rica instead.

During the congressional hearing, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked Mullin if he’d be willing to allow Abrego to go to Costa Rica. News4 obtained video of part of the exchange.

“The point is he has said he will be removed to Costa Rica and Costa Rica has accepted that,” Van Hollen said.

“If he’s willing to do that, we’ll be happy to send him,” Mullin said.

“The point, Mr. Secretary, is the administration, the point is that they’re engaged in what a judge already found to be a vindictive prosecution,” Van Hollen said after Mullin had interjected.

Abrego’s team notified a federal court about the exchange in hopes the government would drop its Liberia demands.

Immigration May 22

Federal judge dismisses human trafficking charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Trump administration Mar 16

Abrego, Trump at stalemate 1 year after mistaken deportation

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department would “be happy” to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica during a congressional hearing Tuesday.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains free in the U.S. pending deportation a year after ICE arrested and deported him to El Salvador.

There is an ongoing fight with the Trump administration to deport Abrego to Liberia. His attorneys say he should be sent to Costa Rica instead.

During the congressional hearing, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked Mullin if he’d be willing to allow Abrego to go to Costa Rica. News4 obtained video of part of the exchange.

“The point is he has said he will be removed to Costa Rica and Costa Rica has accepted that,” Van Hollen said.

“If he’s willing to do that, we’ll be happy to send him,” Mullin said.

“The point, Mr. Secretary, is the administration, the point is that they’re engaged in what a judge already found to be a vindictive prosecution,” Van Hollen said after Mullin had interjected.

Abrego’s team notified a federal court about the exchange in hopes the government would drop its Liberia demands.

Immigration May 22

Federal judge dismisses human trafficking charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Trump administration Mar 16

Abrego, Trump at stalemate 1 year after mistaken deportation

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department would “be happy” to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica during a congressional hearing Tuesday.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains free in the U.S. pending deportation a year after ICE arrested and deported him to El Salvador.

There is an ongoing fight with the Trump administration to deport Abrego to Liberia. His attorneys say he should be sent to Costa Rica instead.

During the congressional hearing, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked Mullin if he’d be willing to allow Abrego to go to Costa Rica. News4 obtained video of part of the exchange.

“The point is he has said he will be removed to Costa Rica and Costa Rica has accepted that,” Van Hollen said.

“If he’s willing to do that, we’ll be happy to send him,” Mullin said.

“The point, Mr. Secretary, is the administration, the point is that they’re engaged in what a judge already found to be a vindictive prosecution,” Van Hollen said after Mullin had interjected.

Abrego’s team notified a federal court about the exchange in hopes the government would drop its Liberia demands.

Immigration May 22

Federal judge dismisses human trafficking charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Trump administration Mar 16

Abrego, Trump at stalemate 1 year after mistaken deportation

D.C. United called off a friendly match against the Ethiopian National Team because of the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa.

The team cited “complications with securing visas and the heightened measures surrounding the recent global Ebola outbreak” in a statement released Tuesday.

The third annual Ethiopia Soccer Legacy Match was scheduled for July 11 at Audi Field, which would have fallen during the World Cup.

Fans who purchased tickets directly from the club or Ticketmaster should automatically receive a refund within a week, the team said.

Hundreds of confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Congo, and more cases were found in neighboring Uganda, the World Health Organization said last week.

D.C. United called off a friendly match against the Ethiopian National Team because of the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa.

The team cited “complications with securing visas and the heightened measures surrounding the recent global Ebola outbreak” in a statement released Tuesday.

The third annual Ethiopia Soccer Legacy Match was scheduled for July 11 at Audi Field, which would have fallen during the World Cup.

Fans who purchased tickets directly from the club or Ticketmaster should automatically receive a refund within a week, the team said.

Hundreds of confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Congo, and more cases were found in neighboring Uganda, the World Health Organization said last week.

D.C. United called off a friendly match against the Ethiopian National Team because of the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa.

The team cited “complications with securing visas and the heightened measures surrounding the recent global Ebola outbreak” in a statement released Tuesday.

The third annual Ethiopia Soccer Legacy Match was scheduled for July 11 at Audi Field, which would have fallen during the World Cup.

Fans who purchased tickets directly from the club or Ticketmaster should automatically receive a refund within a week, the team said.

Hundreds of confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Congo, and more cases were found in neighboring Uganda, the World Health Organization said last week.

D.C. United called off a friendly match against the Ethiopian National Team because of the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa.

The team cited “complications with securing visas and the heightened measures surrounding the recent global Ebola outbreak” in a statement released Tuesday.

The third annual Ethiopia Soccer Legacy Match was scheduled for July 11 at Audi Field, which would have fallen during the World Cup.

Fans who purchased tickets directly from the club or Ticketmaster should automatically receive a refund within a week, the team said.

Hundreds of confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Congo, and more cases were found in neighboring Uganda, the World Health Organization said last week.

D.C. United called off a friendly match against the Ethiopian National Team because of the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa.

The team cited “complications with securing visas and the heightened measures surrounding the recent global Ebola outbreak” in a statement released Tuesday.

The third annual Ethiopia Soccer Legacy Match was scheduled for July 11 at Audi Field, which would have fallen during the World Cup.

Fans who purchased tickets directly from the club or Ticketmaster should automatically receive a refund within a week, the team said.

Hundreds of confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Congo, and more cases were found in neighboring Uganda, the World Health Organization said last week.

D.C. United called off a friendly match against the Ethiopian National Team because of the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa.

The team cited “complications with securing visas and the heightened measures surrounding the recent global Ebola outbreak” in a statement released Tuesday.

The third annual Ethiopia Soccer Legacy Match was scheduled for July 11 at Audi Field, which would have fallen during the World Cup.

Fans who purchased tickets directly from the club or Ticketmaster should automatically receive a refund within a week, the team said.

Hundreds of confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Congo, and more cases were found in neighboring Uganda, the World Health Organization said last week.

The iconic Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., will soon be refilled with water, according to President Donald Trump.

The pool has been closed off by construction crews since the end of April as it gets painted in a blue coating.

On social media, Trump posted that the final coat of protection was being completed on the Reflecting Pool Wednesday and that water would start flowing shortly thereafter. In a lawsuit over the renovation, the Department of Justice filed notice informing a judge that the pool would begin to be refilled no later than Sunday, June 7.

Inside the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump compared the size of the Reflecting Pool with the height of some of America’s most famous skyscrapers.

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

Washington DC May 28

Trump showcases DC renovations at Cabinet meeting, suggests fixes to WWII memorial

And while a News4 crew at the National Mall didn’t see the pool being refilled quite yet, they did spot Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum walking on the pool’s surface, inspecting it and even stopping for a photo op.

What’s happening at the Reflecting Pool is just one of the several examples of how Trump is reshaping the image of D.C. Just a few blocks away at the White House, his controversial ballroom is being built, and a UFC arena is going up on the South Lawn for a series of fights later this month. Fountains — from Meridian Hill Park to right outside Union Station — are also flowing with water again. And while construction hasn’t started yet, the president wants a 250-foot-tall arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery.

The several high-profile projects in the nation’s capital are leaving some excited and others skeptical.

“It’s a waste of money,” one National Mall-goer said Wednesday. “There are so many other problems in the city, but fixing the aesthetics of the city, like how it is on the outside doesn’t fix the real issues that we have.”

“It’s respect for our country, I mean, these are our prized possessions that represent who we are as a people,” another said. “Why not absolutely invest in showcase it for all of U.S. citizens and our visitors and partners?”

The iconic Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., will soon be refilled with water, according to President Donald Trump.

The pool has been closed off by construction crews since the end of April as it gets painted in a blue coating.

On social media, Trump posted that the final coat of protection was being completed on the Reflecting Pool Wednesday and that water would start flowing shortly thereafter. In a lawsuit over the renovation, the Department of Justice filed notice informing a judge that the pool would begin to be refilled no later than Sunday, June 7.

Inside the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump compared the size of the Reflecting Pool with the height of some of America’s most famous skyscrapers.

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

Washington DC May 28

Trump showcases DC renovations at Cabinet meeting, suggests fixes to WWII memorial

And while a News4 crew at the National Mall didn’t see the pool being refilled quite yet, they did spot Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum walking on the pool’s surface, inspecting it and even stopping for a photo op.

What’s happening at the Reflecting Pool is just one of the several examples of how Trump is reshaping the image of D.C. Just a few blocks away at the White House, his controversial ballroom is being built, and a UFC arena is going up on the South Lawn for a series of fights later this month. Fountains — from Meridian Hill Park to right outside Union Station — are also flowing with water again. And while construction hasn’t started yet, the president wants a 250-foot-tall arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery.

The several high-profile projects in the nation’s capital are leaving some excited and others skeptical.

“It’s a waste of money,” one National Mall-goer said Wednesday. “There are so many other problems in the city, but fixing the aesthetics of the city, like how it is on the outside doesn’t fix the real issues that we have.”

“It’s respect for our country, I mean, these are our prized possessions that represent who we are as a people,” another said. “Why not absolutely invest in showcase it for all of U.S. citizens and our visitors and partners?”

The iconic Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., will soon be refilled with water, according to President Donald Trump.

The pool has been closed off by construction crews since the end of April as it gets painted in a blue coating.

On social media, Trump posted that the final coat of protection was being completed on the Reflecting Pool Wednesday and that water would start flowing shortly thereafter. In a lawsuit over the renovation, the Department of Justice filed notice informing a judge that the pool would begin to be refilled no later than Sunday, June 7.

Inside the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump compared the size of the Reflecting Pool with the height of some of America’s most famous skyscrapers.

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

Washington DC May 28

Trump showcases DC renovations at Cabinet meeting, suggests fixes to WWII memorial

And while a News4 crew at the National Mall didn’t see the pool being refilled quite yet, they did spot Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum walking on the pool’s surface, inspecting it and even stopping for a photo op.

What’s happening at the Reflecting Pool is just one of the several examples of how Trump is reshaping the image of D.C. Just a few blocks away at the White House, his controversial ballroom is being built, and a UFC arena is going up on the South Lawn for a series of fights later this month. Fountains — from Meridian Hill Park to right outside Union Station — are also flowing with water again. And while construction hasn’t started yet, the president wants a 250-foot-tall arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery.

The several high-profile projects in the nation’s capital are leaving some excited and others skeptical.

“It’s a waste of money,” one National Mall-goer said Wednesday. “There are so many other problems in the city, but fixing the aesthetics of the city, like how it is on the outside doesn’t fix the real issues that we have.”

“It’s respect for our country, I mean, these are our prized possessions that represent who we are as a people,” another said. “Why not absolutely invest in showcase it for all of U.S. citizens and our visitors and partners?”

The iconic Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., will soon be refilled with water, according to President Donald Trump.

The pool has been closed off by construction crews since the end of April as it gets painted in a blue coating.

On social media, Trump posted that the final coat of protection was being completed on the Reflecting Pool Wednesday and that water would start flowing shortly thereafter. In a lawsuit over the renovation, the Department of Justice filed notice informing a judge that the pool would begin to be refilled no later than Sunday, June 7.

Inside the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump compared the size of the Reflecting Pool with the height of some of America’s most famous skyscrapers.

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

Washington DC May 28

Trump showcases DC renovations at Cabinet meeting, suggests fixes to WWII memorial

And while a News4 crew at the National Mall didn’t see the pool being refilled quite yet, they did spot Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum walking on the pool’s surface, inspecting it and even stopping for a photo op.

What’s happening at the Reflecting Pool is just one of the several examples of how Trump is reshaping the image of D.C. Just a few blocks away at the White House, his controversial ballroom is being built, and a UFC arena is going up on the South Lawn for a series of fights later this month. Fountains — from Meridian Hill Park to right outside Union Station — are also flowing with water again. And while construction hasn’t started yet, the president wants a 250-foot-tall arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery.

The several high-profile projects in the nation’s capital are leaving some excited and others skeptical.

“It’s a waste of money,” one National Mall-goer said Wednesday. “There are so many other problems in the city, but fixing the aesthetics of the city, like how it is on the outside doesn’t fix the real issues that we have.”

“It’s respect for our country, I mean, these are our prized possessions that represent who we are as a people,” another said. “Why not absolutely invest in showcase it for all of U.S. citizens and our visitors and partners?”

The iconic Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., will soon be refilled with water, according to President Donald Trump.

The pool has been closed off by construction crews since the end of April as it gets painted in a blue coating.

On social media, Trump posted that the final coat of protection was being completed on the Reflecting Pool Wednesday and that water would start flowing shortly thereafter. In a lawsuit over the renovation, the Department of Justice filed notice informing a judge that the pool would begin to be refilled no later than Sunday, June 7.

Inside the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump compared the size of the Reflecting Pool with the height of some of America’s most famous skyscrapers.

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

Washington DC May 28

Trump showcases DC renovations at Cabinet meeting, suggests fixes to WWII memorial

And while a News4 crew at the National Mall didn’t see the pool being refilled quite yet, they did spot Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum walking on the pool’s surface, inspecting it and even stopping for a photo op.

What’s happening at the Reflecting Pool is just one of the several examples of how Trump is reshaping the image of D.C. Just a few blocks away at the White House, his controversial ballroom is being built, and a UFC arena is going up on the South Lawn for a series of fights later this month. Fountains — from Meridian Hill Park to right outside Union Station — are also flowing with water again. And while construction hasn’t started yet, the president wants a 250-foot-tall arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery.

The several high-profile projects in the nation’s capital are leaving some excited and others skeptical.

“It’s a waste of money,” one National Mall-goer said Wednesday. “There are so many other problems in the city, but fixing the aesthetics of the city, like how it is on the outside doesn’t fix the real issues that we have.”

“It’s respect for our country, I mean, these are our prized possessions that represent who we are as a people,” another said. “Why not absolutely invest in showcase it for all of U.S. citizens and our visitors and partners?”

The iconic Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., will soon be refilled with water, according to President Donald Trump.

The pool has been closed off by construction crews since the end of April as it gets painted in a blue coating.

On social media, Trump posted that the final coat of protection was being completed on the Reflecting Pool Wednesday and that water would start flowing shortly thereafter. In a lawsuit over the renovation, the Department of Justice filed notice informing a judge that the pool would begin to be refilled no later than Sunday, June 7.

Inside the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump compared the size of the Reflecting Pool with the height of some of America’s most famous skyscrapers.

Donald Trump Jun 3

Trump says ‘maybe we'll never' take down White House UFC cage

Washington DC May 28

Trump showcases DC renovations at Cabinet meeting, suggests fixes to WWII memorial

And while a News4 crew at the National Mall didn’t see the pool being refilled quite yet, they did spot Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum walking on the pool’s surface, inspecting it and even stopping for a photo op.

What’s happening at the Reflecting Pool is just one of the several examples of how Trump is reshaping the image of D.C. Just a few blocks away at the White House, his controversial ballroom is being built, and a UFC arena is going up on the South Lawn for a series of fights later this month. Fountains — from Meridian Hill Park to right outside Union Station — are also flowing with water again. And while construction hasn’t started yet, the president wants a 250-foot-tall arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery.

The several high-profile projects in the nation’s capital are leaving some excited and others skeptical.

“It’s a waste of money,” one National Mall-goer said Wednesday. “There are so many other problems in the city, but fixing the aesthetics of the city, like how it is on the outside doesn’t fix the real issues that we have.”

“It’s respect for our country, I mean, these are our prized possessions that represent who we are as a people,” another said. “Why not absolutely invest in showcase it for all of U.S. citizens and our visitors and partners?”

As the D.C. area heads into summer, a drought watch has been issued by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

That means residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water in case the region doesn’t get some much-needed rain.

During March and April of this year, the Potomac River reached its lowest level recorded in 130 years.

Clarke Mercer of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments said that combined with record-breaking heat during that time created the need to issue a drought watch. It’s an early advisory stage.

“Normal status quo is great, a watch is kind of the next level up, and then you get to a warning and to an emergency,” he said. “When you get into that emergency zone, that’s when you would institute non-voluntary reduction strategies.”

So why didn’t that very long stretch of rainy days in late May help the problem? Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said it’s because the region’s precipitation deficit goes back two full years.

“We need another time period where we’re getting days on end of rain or we need something like a tropical system,” she said. “And I’m not seeing that really in our 10-day forecast or really even over the next month.”

The water supply is stable, but all local water providers are asking customers to voluntarily cut back now in case the drought worsens.

That means:

• Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth
• Taking shorter showers (five minutes or less)
• Only running a full dishwasher
• Doing only full laundry loads
• Visiting a car wash (they recycle water) rather than using the hose in your driveway
• Watering your lawn and garden as little as possible, and do it early morning or in the evening
• Using a public pool instead of activities like baby pools, slip and slide and sprinklers

WSSC’s General Manager Kishia Powell noted doing so can also save you money.

“We know that our customers will heed the call and do believe that we’re all in this together,” she said. “Getting through this period of time takes a bit of strategy.”

As the D.C. area heads into summer, a drought watch has been issued by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

That means residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water in case the region doesn’t get some much-needed rain.

During March and April of this year, the Potomac River reached its lowest level recorded in 130 years.

Clarke Mercer of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments said that combined with record-breaking heat during that time created the need to issue a drought watch. It’s an early advisory stage.

“Normal status quo is great, a watch is kind of the next level up, and then you get to a warning and to an emergency,” he said. “When you get into that emergency zone, that’s when you would institute non-voluntary reduction strategies.”

So why didn’t that very long stretch of rainy days in late May help the problem? Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said it’s because the region’s precipitation deficit goes back two full years.

“We need another time period where we’re getting days on end of rain or we need something like a tropical system,” she said. “And I’m not seeing that really in our 10-day forecast or really even over the next month.”

The water supply is stable, but all local water providers are asking customers to voluntarily cut back now in case the drought worsens.

That means:

• Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth
• Taking shorter showers (five minutes or less)
• Only running a full dishwasher
• Doing only full laundry loads
• Visiting a car wash (they recycle water) rather than using the hose in your driveway
• Watering your lawn and garden as little as possible, and do it early morning or in the evening
• Using a public pool instead of activities like baby pools, slip and slide and sprinklers

WSSC’s General Manager Kishia Powell noted doing so can also save you money.

“We know that our customers will heed the call and do believe that we’re all in this together,” she said. “Getting through this period of time takes a bit of strategy.”

As the D.C. area heads into summer, a drought watch has been issued by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

That means residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water in case the region doesn’t get some much-needed rain.

During March and April of this year, the Potomac River reached its lowest level recorded in 130 years.

Clarke Mercer of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments said that combined with record-breaking heat during that time created the need to issue a drought watch. It’s an early advisory stage.

“Normal status quo is great, a watch is kind of the next level up, and then you get to a warning and to an emergency,” he said. “When you get into that emergency zone, that’s when you would institute non-voluntary reduction strategies.”

So why didn’t that very long stretch of rainy days in late May help the problem? Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said it’s because the region’s precipitation deficit goes back two full years.

“We need another time period where we’re getting days on end of rain or we need something like a tropical system,” she said. “And I’m not seeing that really in our 10-day forecast or really even over the next month.”

The water supply is stable, but all local water providers are asking customers to voluntarily cut back now in case the drought worsens.

That means:

• Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth
• Taking shorter showers (five minutes or less)
• Only running a full dishwasher
• Doing only full laundry loads
• Visiting a car wash (they recycle water) rather than using the hose in your driveway
• Watering your lawn and garden as little as possible, and do it early morning or in the evening
• Using a public pool instead of activities like baby pools, slip and slide and sprinklers

WSSC’s General Manager Kishia Powell noted doing so can also save you money.

“We know that our customers will heed the call and do believe that we’re all in this together,” she said. “Getting through this period of time takes a bit of strategy.”

As the D.C. area heads into summer, a drought watch has been issued by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

That means residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water in case the region doesn’t get some much-needed rain.

During March and April of this year, the Potomac River reached its lowest level recorded in 130 years.

Clarke Mercer of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments said that combined with record-breaking heat during that time created the need to issue a drought watch. It’s an early advisory stage.

“Normal status quo is great, a watch is kind of the next level up, and then you get to a warning and to an emergency,” he said. “When you get into that emergency zone, that’s when you would institute non-voluntary reduction strategies.”

So why didn’t that very long stretch of rainy days in late May help the problem? Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said it’s because the region’s precipitation deficit goes back two full years.

“We need another time period where we’re getting days on end of rain or we need something like a tropical system,” she said. “And I’m not seeing that really in our 10-day forecast or really even over the next month.”

The water supply is stable, but all local water providers are asking customers to voluntarily cut back now in case the drought worsens.

That means:

• Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth
• Taking shorter showers (five minutes or less)
• Only running a full dishwasher
• Doing only full laundry loads
• Visiting a car wash (they recycle water) rather than using the hose in your driveway
• Watering your lawn and garden as little as possible, and do it early morning or in the evening
• Using a public pool instead of activities like baby pools, slip and slide and sprinklers

WSSC’s General Manager Kishia Powell noted doing so can also save you money.

“We know that our customers will heed the call and do believe that we’re all in this together,” she said. “Getting through this period of time takes a bit of strategy.”

As the D.C. area heads into summer, a drought watch has been issued by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

That means residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water in case the region doesn’t get some much-needed rain.

During March and April of this year, the Potomac River reached its lowest level recorded in 130 years.

Clarke Mercer of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments said that combined with record-breaking heat during that time created the need to issue a drought watch. It’s an early advisory stage.

“Normal status quo is great, a watch is kind of the next level up, and then you get to a warning and to an emergency,” he said. “When you get into that emergency zone, that’s when you would institute non-voluntary reduction strategies.”

So why didn’t that very long stretch of rainy days in late May help the problem? Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said it’s because the region’s precipitation deficit goes back two full years.

“We need another time period where we’re getting days on end of rain or we need something like a tropical system,” she said. “And I’m not seeing that really in our 10-day forecast or really even over the next month.”

The water supply is stable, but all local water providers are asking customers to voluntarily cut back now in case the drought worsens.

That means:

• Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth
• Taking shorter showers (five minutes or less)
• Only running a full dishwasher
• Doing only full laundry loads
• Visiting a car wash (they recycle water) rather than using the hose in your driveway
• Watering your lawn and garden as little as possible, and do it early morning or in the evening
• Using a public pool instead of activities like baby pools, slip and slide and sprinklers

WSSC’s General Manager Kishia Powell noted doing so can also save you money.

“We know that our customers will heed the call and do believe that we’re all in this together,” she said. “Getting through this period of time takes a bit of strategy.”

As the D.C. area heads into summer, a drought watch has been issued by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

That means residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water in case the region doesn’t get some much-needed rain.

During March and April of this year, the Potomac River reached its lowest level recorded in 130 years.

Clarke Mercer of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments said that combined with record-breaking heat during that time created the need to issue a drought watch. It’s an early advisory stage.

“Normal status quo is great, a watch is kind of the next level up, and then you get to a warning and to an emergency,” he said. “When you get into that emergency zone, that’s when you would institute non-voluntary reduction strategies.”

So why didn’t that very long stretch of rainy days in late May help the problem? Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said it’s because the region’s precipitation deficit goes back two full years.

“We need another time period where we’re getting days on end of rain or we need something like a tropical system,” she said. “And I’m not seeing that really in our 10-day forecast or really even over the next month.”

The water supply is stable, but all local water providers are asking customers to voluntarily cut back now in case the drought worsens.

That means:

• Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth
• Taking shorter showers (five minutes or less)
• Only running a full dishwasher
• Doing only full laundry loads
• Visiting a car wash (they recycle water) rather than using the hose in your driveway
• Watering your lawn and garden as little as possible, and do it early morning or in the evening
• Using a public pool instead of activities like baby pools, slip and slide and sprinklers

WSSC’s General Manager Kishia Powell noted doing so can also save you money.

“We know that our customers will heed the call and do believe that we’re all in this together,” she said. “Getting through this period of time takes a bit of strategy.”

Standing in her damp, dark apartment in April, Jazmyne Battle told how the laundry room near her basement unit in the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments flooded her home two months prior.

“The water damaged my kids’ furniture. The mold got into the clothes. We couldn’t take nothing,” said Battle, who moved into the sprawling complex off Benning Road in Ward 7 several years ago.

“They kept saying they were going to put tickets in, have somebody come out and fix it,” she said of the property management company’s response to the damage.

But when the News4 I-Team visited roughly two months later, those fixes hadn’t happened. The I-Team saw dead rodents and what appeared to be mud seeping through the subfloor, with a pervasive stench of mold.

By then, Battle was living in a temporary unit that she said doesn’t have smoke detectors or hot water. Asked how she and her kids bathe, she said: “I gotta keep boiling water.”

A major affordable housing project

The conditions aren’t what tenants hoped for 10 years ago when, under D.C. laws giving apartment dwellers critical say in who buys the property where they live, residents chose Standard Communities to purchase and redevelop the historic 549-unit property.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2019, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hailed Fort Chaplin’s renovation as “the largest tax-exempt affordable deal” in city history.

Almost all of the $94 million deal was financed with taxpayer-supported financing mechanisms, including $61 million in tax-exempt debt backed by D.C. and $30.2 million in low-income housing tax credits.

“Fort Chaplin Park is an example of why we are investing in preserving affordable housing,” Bowser said.

But now, dozens of residents tell News4 their units are no longer livable. The I-Team found the problems in Battle’s unit are just some of hundreds at Fort Chaplin identified by the District’s building inspectors.

The District’s Department of Buildings database of violations against landlords shows the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments have roughly 650 open violations for everything from failure to install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to poor plumbing, unsafe electrical equipment, unsecured doors, rodents and more.

That’s an average of more than one violation per unit, with Standard Communities racking up more than $600,000 in unpaid fines as of early June.

The problems in Battle’s basement apartment were so bad the D.C. Housing Authority also inspected in March and found water-damaged floors, rodent infestations and still standing water in the nearby laundry room, according to a copy of the inspection shared with News4. The unit failed inspection.

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‘Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin’

Kimory Orendoff, an ANC commissioner and resident, said Fort Chaplin was famous in past decades for its meticulous upkeep and vibrant community. He said he considers it a “gem” in D.C. real estate.

“It was the most beautiful property in Northeast. Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin,” he said.

Over the course of an hour in April, he showed the I-Team a series of maintenance problems, including unsecured doors, broken windows, mailboxes that don’t close, damaged railings and several rat burrows.

Though Fort Chaplin’s expansive pool is open this season, Orendoff said in April that hasn’t always been the case, leaving some residents in tears during previous hot summers.

“I had people out here crying,” he recalled. “That’s all they have. That’s all they have.”

Marie Ellis has lived at Fort Chaplin for 20 years and said the problems have mounted under the Franklin Group, which manages the property for Standard Communities. She showed the I-Team a leaking ceiling and what appeared to be mold spores throughout her unit. She said she also has dealt with life-or-death maintenance concerns.

“We had an incident where half of my apartment lost electric and I had to run extension cords in order to run my CPAP machine,” said Ellis, who uses a scooter because of mobility issues. She added that her neighbors had to help untangle the extension cords from her scooter’s wheels.

Michael Lewis, who initially contacted the I-Team over concerns he couldn’t get straight answers on his rental balance, said he’s now accustomed to fixing maintenance problems himself.

At the time the I-Team visited, he said his stove had not worked for about a week.

Asked why he doesn’t call the maintenance team, Lewis, who later moved out of Fort Chaplin, said: “Because they’re not gonna come.”

Enforcement actions

Keith Parsons, who oversees enforcement at the Department of Buildings, said: “Those sound like terrible conditions and I sympathize with anyone who is living in a substandard apartment.”

He said while his agency’s database shows serious outstanding violations, Standard Communities has abated hundreds more that are no longer publicly listed.

Asked if he’s satisfied with that progress, Parsons said: “I’m not satisfied. I won’t be satisfied until they’re all fixed.”

In the meantime, his team has stepped up inspections of the property. He left open the possibility of legal action as the I-Team found some of the violations go as far back as 2019. Parsons said his team has communicated with D.C.’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office about the problems at Fort Chaplin. The attorney general’s office declined to comment.

No one from Standard Communities would go on camera for this story, but a public relations firm sent News4 a statement on their behalf, saying: “We are aware of the ongoing challenges at Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and share our residents’ frustration. The property has not been managed to the standards we require, and we have taken direct action to address it.”

The spokesperson said Standard Communities is replacing the property management company this month, partnering with local nonprofits to provide maintenance help and is working with the Department of Buildings to “systematically clear outstanding violations.”

“When we acquired Fort Chaplin Park, this community was at real risk of being lost from the District’s affordable housing stock. We preserved its long-term affordability, and we intend to see this through. We are in this for the long haul,” the statement continued.

The Franklin Group, which has been managing the property, issued this statement to the I-Team: “Franklin Group takes the concerns raised by our residents seriously. We welcome direct communication from any resident with unresolved concerns.”

A spokesman for the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development said it conducts federal compliance inspections of Fort Chaplin because it received low-income housing tax credits. During its last inspection in 2022, it had just two minor deficiencies. The spokesman said the complex is scheduled for another federal compliance inspection this year.

‘I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this’

When the I-Team asked Standard Communities about complaints from residents who said they couldn’t receive account ledgers from the property management company, the company said anyone who asks for one should receive it promptly. Ellis, however, said she has yet to receive one.

Battle said the damage to her home made her and her children sick from the mold and the stress. She has a housing voucher, which limits her ability to simply pick up and move to a new complex. She didn’t have renters insurance and said she needs to replace most of her furniture and belongings.

“It’s just crazy. I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this,” she said, breaking down in tears.

Asked what she would want her landlord to know, she said: “It’s unbearable.”

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Standing in her damp, dark apartment in April, Jazmyne Battle told how the laundry room near her basement unit in the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments flooded her home two months prior.

“The water damaged my kids’ furniture. The mold got into the clothes. We couldn’t take nothing,” said Battle, who moved into the sprawling complex off Benning Road in Ward 7 several years ago.

“They kept saying they were going to put tickets in, have somebody come out and fix it,” she said of the property management company’s response to the damage.

But when the News4 I-Team visited roughly two months later, those fixes hadn’t happened. The I-Team saw dead rodents and what appeared to be mud seeping through the subfloor, with a pervasive stench of mold.

By then, Battle was living in a temporary unit that she said doesn’t have smoke detectors or hot water. Asked how she and her kids bathe, she said: “I gotta keep boiling water.”

A major affordable housing project

The conditions aren’t what tenants hoped for 10 years ago when, under D.C. laws giving apartment dwellers critical say in who buys the property where they live, residents chose Standard Communities to purchase and redevelop the historic 549-unit property.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2019, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hailed Fort Chaplin’s renovation as “the largest tax-exempt affordable deal” in city history.

Almost all of the $94 million deal was financed with taxpayer-supported financing mechanisms, including $61 million in tax-exempt debt backed by D.C. and $30.2 million in low-income housing tax credits.

“Fort Chaplin Park is an example of why we are investing in preserving affordable housing,” Bowser said.

But now, dozens of residents tell News4 their units are no longer livable. The I-Team found the problems in Battle’s unit are just some of hundreds at Fort Chaplin identified by the District’s building inspectors.

The District’s Department of Buildings database of violations against landlords shows the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments have roughly 650 open violations for everything from failure to install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to poor plumbing, unsafe electrical equipment, unsecured doors, rodents and more.

That’s an average of more than one violation per unit, with Standard Communities racking up more than $600,000 in unpaid fines as of early June.

The problems in Battle’s basement apartment were so bad the D.C. Housing Authority also inspected in March and found water-damaged floors, rodent infestations and still standing water in the nearby laundry room, according to a copy of the inspection shared with News4. The unit failed inspection.

Housing Jun 3

New phase of redevelopment at DC's Barry Farm begins for more affordable housing

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

‘Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin’

Kimory Orendoff, an ANC commissioner and resident, said Fort Chaplin was famous in past decades for its meticulous upkeep and vibrant community. He said he considers it a “gem” in D.C. real estate.

“It was the most beautiful property in Northeast. Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin,” he said.

Over the course of an hour in April, he showed the I-Team a series of maintenance problems, including unsecured doors, broken windows, mailboxes that don’t close, damaged railings and several rat burrows.

Though Fort Chaplin’s expansive pool is open this season, Orendoff said in April that hasn’t always been the case, leaving some residents in tears during previous hot summers.

“I had people out here crying,” he recalled. “That’s all they have. That’s all they have.”

Marie Ellis has lived at Fort Chaplin for 20 years and said the problems have mounted under the Franklin Group, which manages the property for Standard Communities. She showed the I-Team a leaking ceiling and what appeared to be mold spores throughout her unit. She said she also has dealt with life-or-death maintenance concerns.

“We had an incident where half of my apartment lost electric and I had to run extension cords in order to run my CPAP machine,” said Ellis, who uses a scooter because of mobility issues. She added that her neighbors had to help untangle the extension cords from her scooter’s wheels.

Michael Lewis, who initially contacted the I-Team over concerns he couldn’t get straight answers on his rental balance, said he’s now accustomed to fixing maintenance problems himself.

At the time the I-Team visited, he said his stove had not worked for about a week.

Asked why he doesn’t call the maintenance team, Lewis, who later moved out of Fort Chaplin, said: “Because they’re not gonna come.”

Enforcement actions

Keith Parsons, who oversees enforcement at the Department of Buildings, said: “Those sound like terrible conditions and I sympathize with anyone who is living in a substandard apartment.”

He said while his agency’s database shows serious outstanding violations, Standard Communities has abated hundreds more that are no longer publicly listed.

Asked if he’s satisfied with that progress, Parsons said: “I’m not satisfied. I won’t be satisfied until they’re all fixed.”

In the meantime, his team has stepped up inspections of the property. He left open the possibility of legal action as the I-Team found some of the violations go as far back as 2019. Parsons said his team has communicated with D.C.’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office about the problems at Fort Chaplin. The attorney general’s office declined to comment.

No one from Standard Communities would go on camera for this story, but a public relations firm sent News4 a statement on their behalf, saying: “We are aware of the ongoing challenges at Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and share our residents’ frustration. The property has not been managed to the standards we require, and we have taken direct action to address it.”

The spokesperson said Standard Communities is replacing the property management company this month, partnering with local nonprofits to provide maintenance help and is working with the Department of Buildings to “systematically clear outstanding violations.”

“When we acquired Fort Chaplin Park, this community was at real risk of being lost from the District’s affordable housing stock. We preserved its long-term affordability, and we intend to see this through. We are in this for the long haul,” the statement continued.

The Franklin Group, which has been managing the property, issued this statement to the I-Team: “Franklin Group takes the concerns raised by our residents seriously. We welcome direct communication from any resident with unresolved concerns.”

A spokesman for the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development said it conducts federal compliance inspections of Fort Chaplin because it received low-income housing tax credits. During its last inspection in 2022, it had just two minor deficiencies. The spokesman said the complex is scheduled for another federal compliance inspection this year.

‘I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this’

When the I-Team asked Standard Communities about complaints from residents who said they couldn’t receive account ledgers from the property management company, the company said anyone who asks for one should receive it promptly. Ellis, however, said she has yet to receive one.

Battle said the damage to her home made her and her children sick from the mold and the stress. She has a housing voucher, which limits her ability to simply pick up and move to a new complex. She didn’t have renters insurance and said she needs to replace most of her furniture and belongings.

“It’s just crazy. I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this,” she said, breaking down in tears.

Asked what she would want her landlord to know, she said: “It’s unbearable.”

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Standing in her damp, dark apartment in April, Jazmyne Battle told how the laundry room near her basement unit in the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments flooded her home two months prior.

“The water damaged my kids’ furniture. The mold got into the clothes. We couldn’t take nothing,” said Battle, who moved into the sprawling complex off Benning Road in Ward 7 several years ago.

“They kept saying they were going to put tickets in, have somebody come out and fix it,” she said of the property management company’s response to the damage.

But when the News4 I-Team visited roughly two months later, those fixes hadn’t happened. The I-Team saw dead rodents and what appeared to be mud seeping through the subfloor, with a pervasive stench of mold.

By then, Battle was living in a temporary unit that she said doesn’t have smoke detectors or hot water. Asked how she and her kids bathe, she said: “I gotta keep boiling water.”

A major affordable housing project

The conditions aren’t what tenants hoped for 10 years ago when, under D.C. laws giving apartment dwellers critical say in who buys the property where they live, residents chose Standard Communities to purchase and redevelop the historic 549-unit property.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2019, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hailed Fort Chaplin’s renovation as “the largest tax-exempt affordable deal” in city history.

Almost all of the $94 million deal was financed with taxpayer-supported financing mechanisms, including $61 million in tax-exempt debt backed by D.C. and $30.2 million in low-income housing tax credits.

“Fort Chaplin Park is an example of why we are investing in preserving affordable housing,” Bowser said.

But now, dozens of residents tell News4 their units are no longer livable. The I-Team found the problems in Battle’s unit are just some of hundreds at Fort Chaplin identified by the District’s building inspectors.

The District’s Department of Buildings database of violations against landlords shows the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments have roughly 650 open violations for everything from failure to install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to poor plumbing, unsafe electrical equipment, unsecured doors, rodents and more.

That’s an average of more than one violation per unit, with Standard Communities racking up more than $600,000 in unpaid fines as of early June.

The problems in Battle’s basement apartment were so bad the D.C. Housing Authority also inspected in March and found water-damaged floors, rodent infestations and still standing water in the nearby laundry room, according to a copy of the inspection shared with News4. The unit failed inspection.

Housing Jun 3

New phase of redevelopment at DC's Barry Farm begins for more affordable housing

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

‘Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin’

Kimory Orendoff, an ANC commissioner and resident, said Fort Chaplin was famous in past decades for its meticulous upkeep and vibrant community. He said he considers it a “gem” in D.C. real estate.

“It was the most beautiful property in Northeast. Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin,” he said.

Over the course of an hour in April, he showed the I-Team a series of maintenance problems, including unsecured doors, broken windows, mailboxes that don’t close, damaged railings and several rat burrows.

Though Fort Chaplin’s expansive pool is open this season, Orendoff said in April that hasn’t always been the case, leaving some residents in tears during previous hot summers.

“I had people out here crying,” he recalled. “That’s all they have. That’s all they have.”

Marie Ellis has lived at Fort Chaplin for 20 years and said the problems have mounted under the Franklin Group, which manages the property for Standard Communities. She showed the I-Team a leaking ceiling and what appeared to be mold spores throughout her unit. She said she also has dealt with life-or-death maintenance concerns.

“We had an incident where half of my apartment lost electric and I had to run extension cords in order to run my CPAP machine,” said Ellis, who uses a scooter because of mobility issues. She added that her neighbors had to help untangle the extension cords from her scooter’s wheels.

Michael Lewis, who initially contacted the I-Team over concerns he couldn’t get straight answers on his rental balance, said he’s now accustomed to fixing maintenance problems himself.

At the time the I-Team visited, he said his stove had not worked for about a week.

Asked why he doesn’t call the maintenance team, Lewis, who later moved out of Fort Chaplin, said: “Because they’re not gonna come.”

Enforcement actions

Keith Parsons, who oversees enforcement at the Department of Buildings, said: “Those sound like terrible conditions and I sympathize with anyone who is living in a substandard apartment.”

He said while his agency’s database shows serious outstanding violations, Standard Communities has abated hundreds more that are no longer publicly listed.

Asked if he’s satisfied with that progress, Parsons said: “I’m not satisfied. I won’t be satisfied until they’re all fixed.”

In the meantime, his team has stepped up inspections of the property. He left open the possibility of legal action as the I-Team found some of the violations go as far back as 2019. Parsons said his team has communicated with D.C.’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office about the problems at Fort Chaplin. The attorney general’s office declined to comment.

No one from Standard Communities would go on camera for this story, but a public relations firm sent News4 a statement on their behalf, saying: “We are aware of the ongoing challenges at Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and share our residents’ frustration. The property has not been managed to the standards we require, and we have taken direct action to address it.”

The spokesperson said Standard Communities is replacing the property management company this month, partnering with local nonprofits to provide maintenance help and is working with the Department of Buildings to “systematically clear outstanding violations.”

“When we acquired Fort Chaplin Park, this community was at real risk of being lost from the District’s affordable housing stock. We preserved its long-term affordability, and we intend to see this through. We are in this for the long haul,” the statement continued.

The Franklin Group, which has been managing the property, issued this statement to the I-Team: “Franklin Group takes the concerns raised by our residents seriously. We welcome direct communication from any resident with unresolved concerns.”

A spokesman for the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development said it conducts federal compliance inspections of Fort Chaplin because it received low-income housing tax credits. During its last inspection in 2022, it had just two minor deficiencies. The spokesman said the complex is scheduled for another federal compliance inspection this year.

‘I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this’

When the I-Team asked Standard Communities about complaints from residents who said they couldn’t receive account ledgers from the property management company, the company said anyone who asks for one should receive it promptly. Ellis, however, said she has yet to receive one.

Battle said the damage to her home made her and her children sick from the mold and the stress. She has a housing voucher, which limits her ability to simply pick up and move to a new complex. She didn’t have renters insurance and said she needs to replace most of her furniture and belongings.

“It’s just crazy. I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this,” she said, breaking down in tears.

Asked what she would want her landlord to know, she said: “It’s unbearable.”

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Standing in her damp, dark apartment in April, Jazmyne Battle told how the laundry room near her basement unit in the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments flooded her home two months prior.

“The water damaged my kids’ furniture. The mold got into the clothes. We couldn’t take nothing,” said Battle, who moved into the sprawling complex off Benning Road in Ward 7 several years ago.

“They kept saying they were going to put tickets in, have somebody come out and fix it,” she said of the property management company’s response to the damage.

But when the News4 I-Team visited roughly two months later, those fixes hadn’t happened. The I-Team saw dead rodents and what appeared to be mud seeping through the subfloor, with a pervasive stench of mold.

By then, Battle was living in a temporary unit that she said doesn’t have smoke detectors or hot water. Asked how she and her kids bathe, she said: “I gotta keep boiling water.”

A major affordable housing project

The conditions aren’t what tenants hoped for 10 years ago when, under D.C. laws giving apartment dwellers critical say in who buys the property where they live, residents chose Standard Communities to purchase and redevelop the historic 549-unit property.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2019, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hailed Fort Chaplin’s renovation as “the largest tax-exempt affordable deal” in city history.

Almost all of the $94 million deal was financed with taxpayer-supported financing mechanisms, including $61 million in tax-exempt debt backed by D.C. and $30.2 million in low-income housing tax credits.

“Fort Chaplin Park is an example of why we are investing in preserving affordable housing,” Bowser said.

But now, dozens of residents tell News4 their units are no longer livable. The I-Team found the problems in Battle’s unit are just some of hundreds at Fort Chaplin identified by the District’s building inspectors.

The District’s Department of Buildings database of violations against landlords shows the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments have roughly 650 open violations for everything from failure to install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to poor plumbing, unsafe electrical equipment, unsecured doors, rodents and more.

That’s an average of more than one violation per unit, with Standard Communities racking up more than $600,000 in unpaid fines as of early June.

The problems in Battle’s basement apartment were so bad the D.C. Housing Authority also inspected in March and found water-damaged floors, rodent infestations and still standing water in the nearby laundry room, according to a copy of the inspection shared with News4. The unit failed inspection.

Housing Jun 3

New phase of redevelopment at DC's Barry Farm begins for more affordable housing

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

‘Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin’

Kimory Orendoff, an ANC commissioner and resident, said Fort Chaplin was famous in past decades for its meticulous upkeep and vibrant community. He said he considers it a “gem” in D.C. real estate.

“It was the most beautiful property in Northeast. Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin,” he said.

Over the course of an hour in April, he showed the I-Team a series of maintenance problems, including unsecured doors, broken windows, mailboxes that don’t close, damaged railings and several rat burrows.

Though Fort Chaplin’s expansive pool is open this season, Orendoff said in April that hasn’t always been the case, leaving some residents in tears during previous hot summers.

“I had people out here crying,” he recalled. “That’s all they have. That’s all they have.”

Marie Ellis has lived at Fort Chaplin for 20 years and said the problems have mounted under the Franklin Group, which manages the property for Standard Communities. She showed the I-Team a leaking ceiling and what appeared to be mold spores throughout her unit. She said she also has dealt with life-or-death maintenance concerns.

“We had an incident where half of my apartment lost electric and I had to run extension cords in order to run my CPAP machine,” said Ellis, who uses a scooter because of mobility issues. She added that her neighbors had to help untangle the extension cords from her scooter’s wheels.

Michael Lewis, who initially contacted the I-Team over concerns he couldn’t get straight answers on his rental balance, said he’s now accustomed to fixing maintenance problems himself.

At the time the I-Team visited, he said his stove had not worked for about a week.

Asked why he doesn’t call the maintenance team, Lewis, who later moved out of Fort Chaplin, said: “Because they’re not gonna come.”

Enforcement actions

Keith Parsons, who oversees enforcement at the Department of Buildings, said: “Those sound like terrible conditions and I sympathize with anyone who is living in a substandard apartment.”

He said while his agency’s database shows serious outstanding violations, Standard Communities has abated hundreds more that are no longer publicly listed.

Asked if he’s satisfied with that progress, Parsons said: “I’m not satisfied. I won’t be satisfied until they’re all fixed.”

In the meantime, his team has stepped up inspections of the property. He left open the possibility of legal action as the I-Team found some of the violations go as far back as 2019. Parsons said his team has communicated with D.C.’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office about the problems at Fort Chaplin. The attorney general’s office declined to comment.

No one from Standard Communities would go on camera for this story, but a public relations firm sent News4 a statement on their behalf, saying: “We are aware of the ongoing challenges at Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and share our residents’ frustration. The property has not been managed to the standards we require, and we have taken direct action to address it.”

The spokesperson said Standard Communities is replacing the property management company this month, partnering with local nonprofits to provide maintenance help and is working with the Department of Buildings to “systematically clear outstanding violations.”

“When we acquired Fort Chaplin Park, this community was at real risk of being lost from the District’s affordable housing stock. We preserved its long-term affordability, and we intend to see this through. We are in this for the long haul,” the statement continued.

The Franklin Group, which has been managing the property, issued this statement to the I-Team: “Franklin Group takes the concerns raised by our residents seriously. We welcome direct communication from any resident with unresolved concerns.”

A spokesman for the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development said it conducts federal compliance inspections of Fort Chaplin because it received low-income housing tax credits. During its last inspection in 2022, it had just two minor deficiencies. The spokesman said the complex is scheduled for another federal compliance inspection this year.

‘I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this’

When the I-Team asked Standard Communities about complaints from residents who said they couldn’t receive account ledgers from the property management company, the company said anyone who asks for one should receive it promptly. Ellis, however, said she has yet to receive one.

Battle said the damage to her home made her and her children sick from the mold and the stress. She has a housing voucher, which limits her ability to simply pick up and move to a new complex. She didn’t have renters insurance and said she needs to replace most of her furniture and belongings.

“It’s just crazy. I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this,” she said, breaking down in tears.

Asked what she would want her landlord to know, she said: “It’s unbearable.”

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Standing in her damp, dark apartment in April, Jazmyne Battle told how the laundry room near her basement unit in the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments flooded her home two months prior.

“The water damaged my kids’ furniture. The mold got into the clothes. We couldn’t take nothing,” said Battle, who moved into the sprawling complex off Benning Road in Ward 7 several years ago.

“They kept saying they were going to put tickets in, have somebody come out and fix it,” she said of the property management company’s response to the damage.

But when the News4 I-Team visited roughly two months later, those fixes hadn’t happened. The I-Team saw dead rodents and what appeared to be mud seeping through the subfloor, with a pervasive stench of mold.

By then, Battle was living in a temporary unit that she said doesn’t have smoke detectors or hot water. Asked how she and her kids bathe, she said: “I gotta keep boiling water.”

A major affordable housing project

The conditions aren’t what tenants hoped for 10 years ago when, under D.C. laws giving apartment dwellers critical say in who buys the property where they live, residents chose Standard Communities to purchase and redevelop the historic 549-unit property.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2019, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hailed Fort Chaplin’s renovation as “the largest tax-exempt affordable deal” in city history.

Almost all of the $94 million deal was financed with taxpayer-supported financing mechanisms, including $61 million in tax-exempt debt backed by D.C. and $30.2 million in low-income housing tax credits.

“Fort Chaplin Park is an example of why we are investing in preserving affordable housing,” Bowser said.

But now, dozens of residents tell News4 their units are no longer livable. The I-Team found the problems in Battle’s unit are just some of hundreds at Fort Chaplin identified by the District’s building inspectors.

The District’s Department of Buildings database of violations against landlords shows the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments have roughly 650 open violations for everything from failure to install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to poor plumbing, unsafe electrical equipment, unsecured doors, rodents and more.

That’s an average of more than one violation per unit, with Standard Communities racking up more than $600,000 in unpaid fines as of early June.

The problems in Battle’s basement apartment were so bad the D.C. Housing Authority also inspected in March and found water-damaged floors, rodent infestations and still standing water in the nearby laundry room, according to a copy of the inspection shared with News4. The unit failed inspection.

Housing Jun 3

New phase of redevelopment at DC's Barry Farm begins for more affordable housing

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

‘Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin’

Kimory Orendoff, an ANC commissioner and resident, said Fort Chaplin was famous in past decades for its meticulous upkeep and vibrant community. He said he considers it a “gem” in D.C. real estate.

“It was the most beautiful property in Northeast. Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin,” he said.

Over the course of an hour in April, he showed the I-Team a series of maintenance problems, including unsecured doors, broken windows, mailboxes that don’t close, damaged railings and several rat burrows.

Though Fort Chaplin’s expansive pool is open this season, Orendoff said in April that hasn’t always been the case, leaving some residents in tears during previous hot summers.

“I had people out here crying,” he recalled. “That’s all they have. That’s all they have.”

Marie Ellis has lived at Fort Chaplin for 20 years and said the problems have mounted under the Franklin Group, which manages the property for Standard Communities. She showed the I-Team a leaking ceiling and what appeared to be mold spores throughout her unit. She said she also has dealt with life-or-death maintenance concerns.

“We had an incident where half of my apartment lost electric and I had to run extension cords in order to run my CPAP machine,” said Ellis, who uses a scooter because of mobility issues. She added that her neighbors had to help untangle the extension cords from her scooter’s wheels.

Michael Lewis, who initially contacted the I-Team over concerns he couldn’t get straight answers on his rental balance, said he’s now accustomed to fixing maintenance problems himself.

At the time the I-Team visited, he said his stove had not worked for about a week.

Asked why he doesn’t call the maintenance team, Lewis, who later moved out of Fort Chaplin, said: “Because they’re not gonna come.”

Enforcement actions

Keith Parsons, who oversees enforcement at the Department of Buildings, said: “Those sound like terrible conditions and I sympathize with anyone who is living in a substandard apartment.”

He said while his agency’s database shows serious outstanding violations, Standard Communities has abated hundreds more that are no longer publicly listed.

Asked if he’s satisfied with that progress, Parsons said: “I’m not satisfied. I won’t be satisfied until they’re all fixed.”

In the meantime, his team has stepped up inspections of the property. He left open the possibility of legal action as the I-Team found some of the violations go as far back as 2019. Parsons said his team has communicated with D.C.’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office about the problems at Fort Chaplin. The attorney general’s office declined to comment.

No one from Standard Communities would go on camera for this story, but a public relations firm sent News4 a statement on their behalf, saying: “We are aware of the ongoing challenges at Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and share our residents’ frustration. The property has not been managed to the standards we require, and we have taken direct action to address it.”

The spokesperson said Standard Communities is replacing the property management company this month, partnering with local nonprofits to provide maintenance help and is working with the Department of Buildings to “systematically clear outstanding violations.”

“When we acquired Fort Chaplin Park, this community was at real risk of being lost from the District’s affordable housing stock. We preserved its long-term affordability, and we intend to see this through. We are in this for the long haul,” the statement continued.

The Franklin Group, which has been managing the property, issued this statement to the I-Team: “Franklin Group takes the concerns raised by our residents seriously. We welcome direct communication from any resident with unresolved concerns.”

A spokesman for the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development said it conducts federal compliance inspections of Fort Chaplin because it received low-income housing tax credits. During its last inspection in 2022, it had just two minor deficiencies. The spokesman said the complex is scheduled for another federal compliance inspection this year.

‘I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this’

When the I-Team asked Standard Communities about complaints from residents who said they couldn’t receive account ledgers from the property management company, the company said anyone who asks for one should receive it promptly. Ellis, however, said she has yet to receive one.

Battle said the damage to her home made her and her children sick from the mold and the stress. She has a housing voucher, which limits her ability to simply pick up and move to a new complex. She didn’t have renters insurance and said she needs to replace most of her furniture and belongings.

“It’s just crazy. I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this,” she said, breaking down in tears.

Asked what she would want her landlord to know, she said: “It’s unbearable.”

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Standing in her damp, dark apartment in April, Jazmyne Battle told how the laundry room near her basement unit in the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments flooded her home two months prior.

“The water damaged my kids’ furniture. The mold got into the clothes. We couldn’t take nothing,” said Battle, who moved into the sprawling complex off Benning Road in Ward 7 several years ago.

“They kept saying they were going to put tickets in, have somebody come out and fix it,” she said of the property management company’s response to the damage.

But when the News4 I-Team visited roughly two months later, those fixes hadn’t happened. The I-Team saw dead rodents and what appeared to be mud seeping through the subfloor, with a pervasive stench of mold.

By then, Battle was living in a temporary unit that she said doesn’t have smoke detectors or hot water. Asked how she and her kids bathe, she said: “I gotta keep boiling water.”

A major affordable housing project

The conditions aren’t what tenants hoped for 10 years ago when, under D.C. laws giving apartment dwellers critical say in who buys the property where they live, residents chose Standard Communities to purchase and redevelop the historic 549-unit property.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2019, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hailed Fort Chaplin’s renovation as “the largest tax-exempt affordable deal” in city history.

Almost all of the $94 million deal was financed with taxpayer-supported financing mechanisms, including $61 million in tax-exempt debt backed by D.C. and $30.2 million in low-income housing tax credits.

“Fort Chaplin Park is an example of why we are investing in preserving affordable housing,” Bowser said.

But now, dozens of residents tell News4 their units are no longer livable. The I-Team found the problems in Battle’s unit are just some of hundreds at Fort Chaplin identified by the District’s building inspectors.

The District’s Department of Buildings database of violations against landlords shows the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments have roughly 650 open violations for everything from failure to install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to poor plumbing, unsafe electrical equipment, unsecured doors, rodents and more.

That’s an average of more than one violation per unit, with Standard Communities racking up more than $600,000 in unpaid fines as of early June.

The problems in Battle’s basement apartment were so bad the D.C. Housing Authority also inspected in March and found water-damaged floors, rodent infestations and still standing water in the nearby laundry room, according to a copy of the inspection shared with News4. The unit failed inspection.

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‘Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin’

Kimory Orendoff, an ANC commissioner and resident, said Fort Chaplin was famous in past decades for its meticulous upkeep and vibrant community. He said he considers it a “gem” in D.C. real estate.

“It was the most beautiful property in Northeast. Everybody wanted to be in Fort Chaplin,” he said.

Over the course of an hour in April, he showed the I-Team a series of maintenance problems, including unsecured doors, broken windows, mailboxes that don’t close, damaged railings and several rat burrows.

Though Fort Chaplin’s expansive pool is open this season, Orendoff said in April that hasn’t always been the case, leaving some residents in tears during previous hot summers.

“I had people out here crying,” he recalled. “That’s all they have. That’s all they have.”

Marie Ellis has lived at Fort Chaplin for 20 years and said the problems have mounted under the Franklin Group, which manages the property for Standard Communities. She showed the I-Team a leaking ceiling and what appeared to be mold spores throughout her unit. She said she also has dealt with life-or-death maintenance concerns.

“We had an incident where half of my apartment lost electric and I had to run extension cords in order to run my CPAP machine,” said Ellis, who uses a scooter because of mobility issues. She added that her neighbors had to help untangle the extension cords from her scooter’s wheels.

Michael Lewis, who initially contacted the I-Team over concerns he couldn’t get straight answers on his rental balance, said he’s now accustomed to fixing maintenance problems himself.

At the time the I-Team visited, he said his stove had not worked for about a week.

Asked why he doesn’t call the maintenance team, Lewis, who later moved out of Fort Chaplin, said: “Because they’re not gonna come.”

Enforcement actions

Keith Parsons, who oversees enforcement at the Department of Buildings, said: “Those sound like terrible conditions and I sympathize with anyone who is living in a substandard apartment.”

He said while his agency’s database shows serious outstanding violations, Standard Communities has abated hundreds more that are no longer publicly listed.

Asked if he’s satisfied with that progress, Parsons said: “I’m not satisfied. I won’t be satisfied until they’re all fixed.”

In the meantime, his team has stepped up inspections of the property. He left open the possibility of legal action as the I-Team found some of the violations go as far back as 2019. Parsons said his team has communicated with D.C.’s Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office about the problems at Fort Chaplin. The attorney general’s office declined to comment.

No one from Standard Communities would go on camera for this story, but a public relations firm sent News4 a statement on their behalf, saying: “We are aware of the ongoing challenges at Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and share our residents’ frustration. The property has not been managed to the standards we require, and we have taken direct action to address it.”

The spokesperson said Standard Communities is replacing the property management company this month, partnering with local nonprofits to provide maintenance help and is working with the Department of Buildings to “systematically clear outstanding violations.”

“When we acquired Fort Chaplin Park, this community was at real risk of being lost from the District’s affordable housing stock. We preserved its long-term affordability, and we intend to see this through. We are in this for the long haul,” the statement continued.

The Franklin Group, which has been managing the property, issued this statement to the I-Team: “Franklin Group takes the concerns raised by our residents seriously. We welcome direct communication from any resident with unresolved concerns.”

A spokesman for the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development said it conducts federal compliance inspections of Fort Chaplin because it received low-income housing tax credits. During its last inspection in 2022, it had just two minor deficiencies. The spokesman said the complex is scheduled for another federal compliance inspection this year.

‘I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this’

When the I-Team asked Standard Communities about complaints from residents who said they couldn’t receive account ledgers from the property management company, the company said anyone who asks for one should receive it promptly. Ellis, however, said she has yet to receive one.

Battle said the damage to her home made her and her children sick from the mold and the stress. She has a housing voucher, which limits her ability to simply pick up and move to a new complex. She didn’t have renters insurance and said she needs to replace most of her furniture and belongings.

“It’s just crazy. I didn’t even know someone would let somebody live like this,” she said, breaking down in tears.

Asked what she would want her landlord to know, she said: “It’s unbearable.”

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U.S. Park Police chased a suspected stolen car for nearly 9 miles from D.C. to Maryland Tuesday. A year ago, such a pursuit by Park Police was forbidden.

The chase began in Arlington, Virginia, where Pentagon Police spotted a stolen gold Hyundai and began a pursuit.

In video shot by Dave Statter, the driver of a sedan pursued by Pentagon Police jumps the median and drives the wrong way before turning onto another street.

Over police radio, Pentagon police and Arlington police made clear why they were pursuing the car — because it was believed to be stolen.

A short while later, a U.S. Park Police officer spotted the car near Beach Drive and Rock Creek Parkway and began a pursuit that went up Connecticut Avenue, into Chevy Chase, through Kensington and onto University Boulevard in Wheaton before crashing near the intersection with Colesville Road.

Four juveniles were taken into custody. No one was injured.

U.S. Park Police and federal authorities have been involved in numerous chases and crashes since loosening the pursuit policy in August.

The change to the policy drew laughter in a White House Cabinet meeting when it was announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

“I was shocked to find out when we were talking to them and you just pull somebody over and they just drive away and you can’t pursue ‘em, and they said, ‘No, we can’t.’ They said, ‘Old rules,’” he said. “We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night, they had so much fun. They pulled people over, they started to take off, they chased ‘em, they stopped ‘em.”

The current policy states, “U.S. Park Police may initiate vehicular pursuits when the suspect is wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense or a threat exists to the public based on the suspect’s actions.”

News4 repeatedly asked for an interview with the chief of U.S. Park Police about its pursuit policy but has been turned down every time.

Neither Arlington police nor Montgomery County police took part in Tuesday’s chase.

The four juveniles were taken to the police station in Silver Spring for processing. It’s unclear what charges they face.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

U.S. Park Police chased a suspected stolen car for nearly 9 miles from D.C. to Maryland Tuesday. A year ago, such a pursuit by Park Police was forbidden.

The chase began in Arlington, Virginia, where Pentagon Police spotted a stolen gold Hyundai and began a pursuit.

In video shot by Dave Statter, the driver of a sedan pursued by Pentagon Police jumps the median and drives the wrong way before turning onto another street.

Over police radio, Pentagon police and Arlington police made clear why they were pursuing the car — because it was believed to be stolen.

A short while later, a U.S. Park Police officer spotted the car near Beach Drive and Rock Creek Parkway and began a pursuit that went up Connecticut Avenue, into Chevy Chase, through Kensington and onto University Boulevard in Wheaton before crashing near the intersection with Colesville Road.

Four juveniles were taken into custody. No one was injured.

U.S. Park Police and federal authorities have been involved in numerous chases and crashes since loosening the pursuit policy in August.

The change to the policy drew laughter in a White House Cabinet meeting when it was announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

“I was shocked to find out when we were talking to them and you just pull somebody over and they just drive away and you can’t pursue ‘em, and they said, ‘No, we can’t.’ They said, ‘Old rules,’” he said. “We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night, they had so much fun. They pulled people over, they started to take off, they chased ‘em, they stopped ‘em.”

The current policy states, “U.S. Park Police may initiate vehicular pursuits when the suspect is wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense or a threat exists to the public based on the suspect’s actions.”

News4 repeatedly asked for an interview with the chief of U.S. Park Police about its pursuit policy but has been turned down every time.

Neither Arlington police nor Montgomery County police took part in Tuesday’s chase.

The four juveniles were taken to the police station in Silver Spring for processing. It’s unclear what charges they face.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

U.S. Park Police chased a suspected stolen car for nearly 9 miles from D.C. to Maryland Tuesday. A year ago, such a pursuit by Park Police was forbidden.

The chase began in Arlington, Virginia, where Pentagon Police spotted a stolen gold Hyundai and began a pursuit.

In video shot by Dave Statter, the driver of a sedan pursued by Pentagon Police jumps the median and drives the wrong way before turning onto another street.

Over police radio, Pentagon police and Arlington police made clear why they were pursuing the car — because it was believed to be stolen.

A short while later, a U.S. Park Police officer spotted the car near Beach Drive and Rock Creek Parkway and began a pursuit that went up Connecticut Avenue, into Chevy Chase, through Kensington and onto University Boulevard in Wheaton before crashing near the intersection with Colesville Road.

Four juveniles were taken into custody. No one was injured.

U.S. Park Police and federal authorities have been involved in numerous chases and crashes since loosening the pursuit policy in August.

The change to the policy drew laughter in a White House Cabinet meeting when it was announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

“I was shocked to find out when we were talking to them and you just pull somebody over and they just drive away and you can’t pursue ‘em, and they said, ‘No, we can’t.’ They said, ‘Old rules,’” he said. “We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night, they had so much fun. They pulled people over, they started to take off, they chased ‘em, they stopped ‘em.”

The current policy states, “U.S. Park Police may initiate vehicular pursuits when the suspect is wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense or a threat exists to the public based on the suspect’s actions.”

News4 repeatedly asked for an interview with the chief of U.S. Park Police about its pursuit policy but has been turned down every time.

Neither Arlington police nor Montgomery County police took part in Tuesday’s chase.

The four juveniles were taken to the police station in Silver Spring for processing. It’s unclear what charges they face.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

U.S. Park Police chased a suspected stolen car for nearly 9 miles from D.C. to Maryland Tuesday. A year ago, such a pursuit by Park Police was forbidden.

The chase began in Arlington, Virginia, where Pentagon Police spotted a stolen gold Hyundai and began a pursuit.

In video shot by Dave Statter, the driver of a sedan pursued by Pentagon Police jumps the median and drives the wrong way before turning onto another street.

Over police radio, Pentagon police and Arlington police made clear why they were pursuing the car — because it was believed to be stolen.

A short while later, a U.S. Park Police officer spotted the car near Beach Drive and Rock Creek Parkway and began a pursuit that went up Connecticut Avenue, into Chevy Chase, through Kensington and onto University Boulevard in Wheaton before crashing near the intersection with Colesville Road.

Four juveniles were taken into custody. No one was injured.

U.S. Park Police and federal authorities have been involved in numerous chases and crashes since loosening the pursuit policy in August.

The change to the policy drew laughter in a White House Cabinet meeting when it was announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

“I was shocked to find out when we were talking to them and you just pull somebody over and they just drive away and you can’t pursue ‘em, and they said, ‘No, we can’t.’ They said, ‘Old rules,’” he said. “We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night, they had so much fun. They pulled people over, they started to take off, they chased ‘em, they stopped ‘em.”

The current policy states, “U.S. Park Police may initiate vehicular pursuits when the suspect is wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense or a threat exists to the public based on the suspect’s actions.”

News4 repeatedly asked for an interview with the chief of U.S. Park Police about its pursuit policy but has been turned down every time.

Neither Arlington police nor Montgomery County police took part in Tuesday’s chase.

The four juveniles were taken to the police station in Silver Spring for processing. It’s unclear what charges they face.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

U.S. Park Police chased a suspected stolen car for nearly 9 miles from D.C. to Maryland Tuesday. A year ago, such a pursuit by Park Police was forbidden.

The chase began in Arlington, Virginia, where Pentagon Police spotted a stolen gold Hyundai and began a pursuit.

In video shot by Dave Statter, the driver of a sedan pursued by Pentagon Police jumps the median and drives the wrong way before turning onto another street.

Over police radio, Pentagon police and Arlington police made clear why they were pursuing the car — because it was believed to be stolen.

A short while later, a U.S. Park Police officer spotted the car near Beach Drive and Rock Creek Parkway and began a pursuit that went up Connecticut Avenue, into Chevy Chase, through Kensington and onto University Boulevard in Wheaton before crashing near the intersection with Colesville Road.

Four juveniles were taken into custody. No one was injured.

U.S. Park Police and federal authorities have been involved in numerous chases and crashes since loosening the pursuit policy in August.

The change to the policy drew laughter in a White House Cabinet meeting when it was announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

“I was shocked to find out when we were talking to them and you just pull somebody over and they just drive away and you can’t pursue ‘em, and they said, ‘No, we can’t.’ They said, ‘Old rules,’” he said. “We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night, they had so much fun. They pulled people over, they started to take off, they chased ‘em, they stopped ‘em.”

The current policy states, “U.S. Park Police may initiate vehicular pursuits when the suspect is wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense or a threat exists to the public based on the suspect’s actions.”

News4 repeatedly asked for an interview with the chief of U.S. Park Police about its pursuit policy but has been turned down every time.

Neither Arlington police nor Montgomery County police took part in Tuesday’s chase.

The four juveniles were taken to the police station in Silver Spring for processing. It’s unclear what charges they face.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

U.S. Park Police chased a suspected stolen car for nearly 9 miles from D.C. to Maryland Tuesday. A year ago, such a pursuit by Park Police was forbidden.

The chase began in Arlington, Virginia, where Pentagon Police spotted a stolen gold Hyundai and began a pursuit.

In video shot by Dave Statter, the driver of a sedan pursued by Pentagon Police jumps the median and drives the wrong way before turning onto another street.

Over police radio, Pentagon police and Arlington police made clear why they were pursuing the car — because it was believed to be stolen.

A short while later, a U.S. Park Police officer spotted the car near Beach Drive and Rock Creek Parkway and began a pursuit that went up Connecticut Avenue, into Chevy Chase, through Kensington and onto University Boulevard in Wheaton before crashing near the intersection with Colesville Road.

Four juveniles were taken into custody. No one was injured.

U.S. Park Police and federal authorities have been involved in numerous chases and crashes since loosening the pursuit policy in August.

The change to the policy drew laughter in a White House Cabinet meeting when it was announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

“I was shocked to find out when we were talking to them and you just pull somebody over and they just drive away and you can’t pursue ‘em, and they said, ‘No, we can’t.’ They said, ‘Old rules,’” he said. “We got that rule changed in 24 hours because of President Trump’s leadership. The next night, they had so much fun. They pulled people over, they started to take off, they chased ‘em, they stopped ‘em.”

The current policy states, “U.S. Park Police may initiate vehicular pursuits when the suspect is wanted for or suspected of committing a felony offense or a threat exists to the public based on the suspect’s actions.”

News4 repeatedly asked for an interview with the chief of U.S. Park Police about its pursuit policy but has been turned down every time.

Neither Arlington police nor Montgomery County police took part in Tuesday’s chase.

The four juveniles were taken to the police station in Silver Spring for processing. It’s unclear what charges they face.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Thousands of kids in the DMV get free meals at school every day. But what happens when the school year is over?

That’s where Prince George’s County Public Schools’ (PGCPS) summer meals program helps to make sure children get regular, healthy meals.

At Bladensburg Elementary School, kids get to enjoy a nutritious lunch, but when the school year is over, some of these same kids may not get enough to eat. To make sure that doesn’t happen, PGCPS is making sure families know there will be meals available at no charge.

“Especially right now understanding with inflation of groceries and things of that nature, summer meals is something our students can count on and parents can count on knowing that same way they can count on those meals during the school year, they can count on those meals during the summer as well,” said Mary Kirkland, director of food and nutrition services with PGCPS.

PGCPS is teaming up with the Washington Mystics and the American Dairy Association to make sure kids know they can get free breakfast and lunch over the summer.

“To have them be feeling safe enough and vulnerable enough socially to raise their hand and say, ‘I need a meal,’ and I think that’s why we’re here, and we’re here to let them know and inform them that we’re here for them in every way,” said Christy Winters Scott, the color analyst with the Mystics.

They’re emphasizing healthy bodies, healthy minds and having the energy to stay positive and grow.

Every child 18 and under who lives in Prince George’s County is eligible for the free meals, and there are no income requirements.

“Healthy meals are important to me because they help my bones and they help me get a bigger mindset and think clearer,” one student said.

As many families are having a hard time making ends meet, the program is even more important to make sure kids don’t go hungry. And new SNAP benefit work requirements could also impact families this summer.

“It’s definitely a bonus and a plus. It’s much needed so they can stay nutritioned and ready to join us during the school year,” said school principal Angela Frazier.

The meals will include milk, fresh fruit and vegetables.

No registration or paperwork is required. You just show up, get the meals and go.

Thousands of kids in the DMV get free meals at school every day. But what happens when the school year is over?

That’s where Prince George’s County Public Schools’ (PGCPS) summer meals program helps to make sure children get regular, healthy meals.

At Bladensburg Elementary School, kids get to enjoy a nutritious lunch, but when the school year is over, some of these same kids may not get enough to eat. To make sure that doesn’t happen, PGCPS is making sure families know there will be meals available at no charge.

“Especially right now understanding with inflation of groceries and things of that nature, summer meals is something our students can count on and parents can count on knowing that same way they can count on those meals during the school year, they can count on those meals during the summer as well,” said Mary Kirkland, director of food and nutrition services with PGCPS.

PGCPS is teaming up with the Washington Mystics and the American Dairy Association to make sure kids know they can get free breakfast and lunch over the summer.

“To have them be feeling safe enough and vulnerable enough socially to raise their hand and say, ‘I need a meal,’ and I think that’s why we’re here, and we’re here to let them know and inform them that we’re here for them in every way,” said Christy Winters Scott, the color analyst with the Mystics.

They’re emphasizing healthy bodies, healthy minds and having the energy to stay positive and grow.

Every child 18 and under who lives in Prince George’s County is eligible for the free meals, and there are no income requirements.

“Healthy meals are important to me because they help my bones and they help me get a bigger mindset and think clearer,” one student said.

As many families are having a hard time making ends meet, the program is even more important to make sure kids don’t go hungry. And new SNAP benefit work requirements could also impact families this summer.

“It’s definitely a bonus and a plus. It’s much needed so they can stay nutritioned and ready to join us during the school year,” said school principal Angela Frazier.

The meals will include milk, fresh fruit and vegetables.

No registration or paperwork is required. You just show up, get the meals and go.

Thousands of kids in the DMV get free meals at school every day. But what happens when the school year is over?

That’s where Prince George’s County Public Schools’ (PGCPS) summer meals program helps to make sure children get regular, healthy meals.

At Bladensburg Elementary School, kids get to enjoy a nutritious lunch, but when the school year is over, some of these same kids may not get enough to eat. To make sure that doesn’t happen, PGCPS is making sure families know there will be meals available at no charge.

“Especially right now understanding with inflation of groceries and things of that nature, summer meals is something our students can count on and parents can count on knowing that same way they can count on those meals during the school year, they can count on those meals during the summer as well,” said Mary Kirkland, director of food and nutrition services with PGCPS.

PGCPS is teaming up with the Washington Mystics and the American Dairy Association to make sure kids know they can get free breakfast and lunch over the summer.

“To have them be feeling safe enough and vulnerable enough socially to raise their hand and say, ‘I need a meal,’ and I think that’s why we’re here, and we’re here to let them know and inform them that we’re here for them in every way,” said Christy Winters Scott, the color analyst with the Mystics.

They’re emphasizing healthy bodies, healthy minds and having the energy to stay positive and grow.

Every child 18 and under who lives in Prince George’s County is eligible for the free meals, and there are no income requirements.

“Healthy meals are important to me because they help my bones and they help me get a bigger mindset and think clearer,” one student said.

As many families are having a hard time making ends meet, the program is even more important to make sure kids don’t go hungry. And new SNAP benefit work requirements could also impact families this summer.

“It’s definitely a bonus and a plus. It’s much needed so they can stay nutritioned and ready to join us during the school year,” said school principal Angela Frazier.

The meals will include milk, fresh fruit and vegetables.

No registration or paperwork is required. You just show up, get the meals and go.

Thousands of kids in the DMV get free meals at school every day. But what happens when the school year is over?

That’s where Prince George’s County Public Schools’ (PGCPS) summer meals program helps to make sure children get regular, healthy meals.

At Bladensburg Elementary School, kids get to enjoy a nutritious lunch, but when the school year is over, some of these same kids may not get enough to eat. To make sure that doesn’t happen, PGCPS is making sure families know there will be meals available at no charge.

“Especially right now understanding with inflation of groceries and things of that nature, summer meals is something our students can count on and parents can count on knowing that same way they can count on those meals during the school year, they can count on those meals during the summer as well,” said Mary Kirkland, director of food and nutrition services with PGCPS.

PGCPS is teaming up with the Washington Mystics and the American Dairy Association to make sure kids know they can get free breakfast and lunch over the summer.

“To have them be feeling safe enough and vulnerable enough socially to raise their hand and say, ‘I need a meal,’ and I think that’s why we’re here, and we’re here to let them know and inform them that we’re here for them in every way,” said Christy Winters Scott, the color analyst with the Mystics.

They’re emphasizing healthy bodies, healthy minds and having the energy to stay positive and grow.

Every child 18 and under who lives in Prince George’s County is eligible for the free meals, and there are no income requirements.

“Healthy meals are important to me because they help my bones and they help me get a bigger mindset and think clearer,” one student said.

As many families are having a hard time making ends meet, the program is even more important to make sure kids don’t go hungry. And new SNAP benefit work requirements could also impact families this summer.

“It’s definitely a bonus and a plus. It’s much needed so they can stay nutritioned and ready to join us during the school year,” said school principal Angela Frazier.

The meals will include milk, fresh fruit and vegetables.

No registration or paperwork is required. You just show up, get the meals and go.

Thousands of kids in the DMV get free meals at school every day. But what happens when the school year is over?

That’s where Prince George’s County Public Schools’ (PGCPS) summer meals program helps to make sure children get regular, healthy meals.

At Bladensburg Elementary School, kids get to enjoy a nutritious lunch, but when the school year is over, some of these same kids may not get enough to eat. To make sure that doesn’t happen, PGCPS is making sure families know there will be meals available at no charge.

“Especially right now understanding with inflation of groceries and things of that nature, summer meals is something our students can count on and parents can count on knowing that same way they can count on those meals during the school year, they can count on those meals during the summer as well,” said Mary Kirkland, director of food and nutrition services with PGCPS.

PGCPS is teaming up with the Washington Mystics and the American Dairy Association to make sure kids know they can get free breakfast and lunch over the summer.

“To have them be feeling safe enough and vulnerable enough socially to raise their hand and say, ‘I need a meal,’ and I think that’s why we’re here, and we’re here to let them know and inform them that we’re here for them in every way,” said Christy Winters Scott, the color analyst with the Mystics.

They’re emphasizing healthy bodies, healthy minds and having the energy to stay positive and grow.

Every child 18 and under who lives in Prince George’s County is eligible for the free meals, and there are no income requirements.

“Healthy meals are important to me because they help my bones and they help me get a bigger mindset and think clearer,” one student said.

As many families are having a hard time making ends meet, the program is even more important to make sure kids don’t go hungry. And new SNAP benefit work requirements could also impact families this summer.

“It’s definitely a bonus and a plus. It’s much needed so they can stay nutritioned and ready to join us during the school year,” said school principal Angela Frazier.

The meals will include milk, fresh fruit and vegetables.

No registration or paperwork is required. You just show up, get the meals and go.

Thousands of kids in the DMV get free meals at school every day. But what happens when the school year is over?

That’s where Prince George’s County Public Schools’ (PGCPS) summer meals program helps to make sure children get regular, healthy meals.

At Bladensburg Elementary School, kids get to enjoy a nutritious lunch, but when the school year is over, some of these same kids may not get enough to eat. To make sure that doesn’t happen, PGCPS is making sure families know there will be meals available at no charge.

“Especially right now understanding with inflation of groceries and things of that nature, summer meals is something our students can count on and parents can count on knowing that same way they can count on those meals during the school year, they can count on those meals during the summer as well,” said Mary Kirkland, director of food and nutrition services with PGCPS.

PGCPS is teaming up with the Washington Mystics and the American Dairy Association to make sure kids know they can get free breakfast and lunch over the summer.

“To have them be feeling safe enough and vulnerable enough socially to raise their hand and say, ‘I need a meal,’ and I think that’s why we’re here, and we’re here to let them know and inform them that we’re here for them in every way,” said Christy Winters Scott, the color analyst with the Mystics.

They’re emphasizing healthy bodies, healthy minds and having the energy to stay positive and grow.

Every child 18 and under who lives in Prince George’s County is eligible for the free meals, and there are no income requirements.

“Healthy meals are important to me because they help my bones and they help me get a bigger mindset and think clearer,” one student said.

As many families are having a hard time making ends meet, the program is even more important to make sure kids don’t go hungry. And new SNAP benefit work requirements could also impact families this summer.

“It’s definitely a bonus and a plus. It’s much needed so they can stay nutritioned and ready to join us during the school year,” said school principal Angela Frazier.

The meals will include milk, fresh fruit and vegetables.

No registration or paperwork is required. You just show up, get the meals and go.

A Silver Spring woman says for the first time in years, she’s feeling hopeful thanks to a groundbreaking therapy that’s helping her battle a disease she’s lived with her entire life.

She is the first woman in Maryland to receive a new treatment for sickle cell anemia.

Celebrating a moment that’s been years and years in the making surrounded by her medical team – and loved ones who have supported her throughout this process – Jessica Ceja cannot contain her emotions as she completes a treatment she says has changed her life.

“I mean, it’s a whole new life,” she said. “Essentially, I’m having a chance at a life where I’m not tied to beds, to a hospital bed, anymore.”

The disease causes red blood cells to take on an abnormal shape that blocks blood flow and can lead to severe pain crises and progressive organ damage.

“It would just be this excruciating pain,” Ceja said. “This pain where I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t move. It feels like stabbing. Sharp knives just going at you.”

Ceja is 41 years old, married and has three children. She said her disease has always affected her life, but in recent years, it reached the point where she constantly needed medical care just to keep going.

“In and out of hospitals every four to six weeks, so that really took a toll,” she said.

Ceja said doctors explained that controlling her disease was difficult, but there was an innovative option: using her own genetically-modified stem cells in an effort to prevent serious complications. She received the treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center, becoming the first adult patient in the state to receive it.

Sickle cell affects roughly 100,000 people in the U.S., with over 90% being non-Hispanic Black or African American.

Doctors said they hope to expand access to the gene therapy. In clinical trials, between 88 and 93% of patients stopped experiencing severe pain crises.

“This was a very much rewarding experience to see her recovering well and see a smile on her face when she doesn’t have to come frequently anymore to the hospital,” said Dr. Jean Yared, a hematologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The family has had to endure difficult moments, but thanks to the new treatment, Ceja said she’s hopeful for her future.

“This is giving me a chance to do all the things that I missed out on,” she said. “I feel like it’s a whole new life, essentially. I’ll be able to do all the things that I wanted to do.”

A Silver Spring woman says for the first time in years, she’s feeling hopeful thanks to a groundbreaking therapy that’s helping her battle a disease she’s lived with her entire life.

She is the first woman in Maryland to receive a new treatment for sickle cell anemia.

Celebrating a moment that’s been years and years in the making surrounded by her medical team – and loved ones who have supported her throughout this process – Jessica Ceja cannot contain her emotions as she completes a treatment she says has changed her life.

“I mean, it’s a whole new life,” she said. “Essentially, I’m having a chance at a life where I’m not tied to beds, to a hospital bed, anymore.”

The disease causes red blood cells to take on an abnormal shape that blocks blood flow and can lead to severe pain crises and progressive organ damage.

“It would just be this excruciating pain,” Ceja said. “This pain where I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t move. It feels like stabbing. Sharp knives just going at you.”

Ceja is 41 years old, married and has three children. She said her disease has always affected her life, but in recent years, it reached the point where she constantly needed medical care just to keep going.

“In and out of hospitals every four to six weeks, so that really took a toll,” she said.

Ceja said doctors explained that controlling her disease was difficult, but there was an innovative option: using her own genetically-modified stem cells in an effort to prevent serious complications. She received the treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center, becoming the first adult patient in the state to receive it.

Sickle cell affects roughly 100,000 people in the U.S., with over 90% being non-Hispanic Black or African American.

Doctors said they hope to expand access to the gene therapy. In clinical trials, between 88 and 93% of patients stopped experiencing severe pain crises.

“This was a very much rewarding experience to see her recovering well and see a smile on her face when she doesn’t have to come frequently anymore to the hospital,” said Dr. Jean Yared, a hematologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The family has had to endure difficult moments, but thanks to the new treatment, Ceja said she’s hopeful for her future.

“This is giving me a chance to do all the things that I missed out on,” she said. “I feel like it’s a whole new life, essentially. I’ll be able to do all the things that I wanted to do.”

A Silver Spring woman says for the first time in years, she’s feeling hopeful thanks to a groundbreaking therapy that’s helping her battle a disease she’s lived with her entire life.

She is the first woman in Maryland to receive a new treatment for sickle cell anemia.

Celebrating a moment that’s been years and years in the making surrounded by her medical team – and loved ones who have supported her throughout this process – Jessica Ceja cannot contain her emotions as she completes a treatment she says has changed her life.

“I mean, it’s a whole new life,” she said. “Essentially, I’m having a chance at a life where I’m not tied to beds, to a hospital bed, anymore.”

The disease causes red blood cells to take on an abnormal shape that blocks blood flow and can lead to severe pain crises and progressive organ damage.

“It would just be this excruciating pain,” Ceja said. “This pain where I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t move. It feels like stabbing. Sharp knives just going at you.”

Ceja is 41 years old, married and has three children. She said her disease has always affected her life, but in recent years, it reached the point where she constantly needed medical care just to keep going.

“In and out of hospitals every four to six weeks, so that really took a toll,” she said.

Ceja said doctors explained that controlling her disease was difficult, but there was an innovative option: using her own genetically-modified stem cells in an effort to prevent serious complications. She received the treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center, becoming the first adult patient in the state to receive it.

Sickle cell affects roughly 100,000 people in the U.S., with over 90% being non-Hispanic Black or African American.

Doctors said they hope to expand access to the gene therapy. In clinical trials, between 88 and 93% of patients stopped experiencing severe pain crises.

“This was a very much rewarding experience to see her recovering well and see a smile on her face when she doesn’t have to come frequently anymore to the hospital,” said Dr. Jean Yared, a hematologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The family has had to endure difficult moments, but thanks to the new treatment, Ceja said she’s hopeful for her future.

“This is giving me a chance to do all the things that I missed out on,” she said. “I feel like it’s a whole new life, essentially. I’ll be able to do all the things that I wanted to do.”

A Silver Spring woman says for the first time in years, she’s feeling hopeful thanks to a groundbreaking therapy that’s helping her battle a disease she’s lived with her entire life.

She is the first woman in Maryland to receive a new treatment for sickle cell anemia.

Celebrating a moment that’s been years and years in the making surrounded by her medical team – and loved ones who have supported her throughout this process – Jessica Ceja cannot contain her emotions as she completes a treatment she says has changed her life.

“I mean, it’s a whole new life,” she said. “Essentially, I’m having a chance at a life where I’m not tied to beds, to a hospital bed, anymore.”

The disease causes red blood cells to take on an abnormal shape that blocks blood flow and can lead to severe pain crises and progressive organ damage.

“It would just be this excruciating pain,” Ceja said. “This pain where I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t move. It feels like stabbing. Sharp knives just going at you.”

Ceja is 41 years old, married and has three children. She said her disease has always affected her life, but in recent years, it reached the point where she constantly needed medical care just to keep going.

“In and out of hospitals every four to six weeks, so that really took a toll,” she said.

Ceja said doctors explained that controlling her disease was difficult, but there was an innovative option: using her own genetically-modified stem cells in an effort to prevent serious complications. She received the treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center, becoming the first adult patient in the state to receive it.

Sickle cell affects roughly 100,000 people in the U.S., with over 90% being non-Hispanic Black or African American.

Doctors said they hope to expand access to the gene therapy. In clinical trials, between 88 and 93% of patients stopped experiencing severe pain crises.

“This was a very much rewarding experience to see her recovering well and see a smile on her face when she doesn’t have to come frequently anymore to the hospital,” said Dr. Jean Yared, a hematologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The family has had to endure difficult moments, but thanks to the new treatment, Ceja said she’s hopeful for her future.

“This is giving me a chance to do all the things that I missed out on,” she said. “I feel like it’s a whole new life, essentially. I’ll be able to do all the things that I wanted to do.”

A Silver Spring woman says for the first time in years, she’s feeling hopeful thanks to a groundbreaking therapy that’s helping her battle a disease she’s lived with her entire life.

She is the first woman in Maryland to receive a new treatment for sickle cell anemia.

Celebrating a moment that’s been years and years in the making surrounded by her medical team – and loved ones who have supported her throughout this process – Jessica Ceja cannot contain her emotions as she completes a treatment she says has changed her life.

“I mean, it’s a whole new life,” she said. “Essentially, I’m having a chance at a life where I’m not tied to beds, to a hospital bed, anymore.”

The disease causes red blood cells to take on an abnormal shape that blocks blood flow and can lead to severe pain crises and progressive organ damage.

“It would just be this excruciating pain,” Ceja said. “This pain where I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t move. It feels like stabbing. Sharp knives just going at you.”

Ceja is 41 years old, married and has three children. She said her disease has always affected her life, but in recent years, it reached the point where she constantly needed medical care just to keep going.

“In and out of hospitals every four to six weeks, so that really took a toll,” she said.

Ceja said doctors explained that controlling her disease was difficult, but there was an innovative option: using her own genetically-modified stem cells in an effort to prevent serious complications. She received the treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center, becoming the first adult patient in the state to receive it.

Sickle cell affects roughly 100,000 people in the U.S., with over 90% being non-Hispanic Black or African American.

Doctors said they hope to expand access to the gene therapy. In clinical trials, between 88 and 93% of patients stopped experiencing severe pain crises.

“This was a very much rewarding experience to see her recovering well and see a smile on her face when she doesn’t have to come frequently anymore to the hospital,” said Dr. Jean Yared, a hematologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The family has had to endure difficult moments, but thanks to the new treatment, Ceja said she’s hopeful for her future.

“This is giving me a chance to do all the things that I missed out on,” she said. “I feel like it’s a whole new life, essentially. I’ll be able to do all the things that I wanted to do.”

A Silver Spring woman says for the first time in years, she’s feeling hopeful thanks to a groundbreaking therapy that’s helping her battle a disease she’s lived with her entire life.

She is the first woman in Maryland to receive a new treatment for sickle cell anemia.

Celebrating a moment that’s been years and years in the making surrounded by her medical team – and loved ones who have supported her throughout this process – Jessica Ceja cannot contain her emotions as she completes a treatment she says has changed her life.

“I mean, it’s a whole new life,” she said. “Essentially, I’m having a chance at a life where I’m not tied to beds, to a hospital bed, anymore.”

The disease causes red blood cells to take on an abnormal shape that blocks blood flow and can lead to severe pain crises and progressive organ damage.

“It would just be this excruciating pain,” Ceja said. “This pain where I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t move. It feels like stabbing. Sharp knives just going at you.”

Ceja is 41 years old, married and has three children. She said her disease has always affected her life, but in recent years, it reached the point where she constantly needed medical care just to keep going.

“In and out of hospitals every four to six weeks, so that really took a toll,” she said.

Ceja said doctors explained that controlling her disease was difficult, but there was an innovative option: using her own genetically-modified stem cells in an effort to prevent serious complications. She received the treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center, becoming the first adult patient in the state to receive it.

Sickle cell affects roughly 100,000 people in the U.S., with over 90% being non-Hispanic Black or African American.

Doctors said they hope to expand access to the gene therapy. In clinical trials, between 88 and 93% of patients stopped experiencing severe pain crises.

“This was a very much rewarding experience to see her recovering well and see a smile on her face when she doesn’t have to come frequently anymore to the hospital,” said Dr. Jean Yared, a hematologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The family has had to endure difficult moments, but thanks to the new treatment, Ceja said she’s hopeful for her future.

“This is giving me a chance to do all the things that I missed out on,” she said. “I feel like it’s a whole new life, essentially. I’ll be able to do all the things that I wanted to do.”

D.C.’s primary election on June 16 includes a special election to fill the at-large D.C. Council seat vacated when Kenyan McDuffie resigned to run for mayor.

Doni Crawford, Jacque Patterson and Elissa Silverman are the three candidates running for the seat. All are registered as Independents.

Axios reporter Cuneyt Dil spoke with News4 to break down what to know about each of the candidates:

Doni Crawford used to work for McDuffie. Council Chair Phil Mendelson tapped Crawford to fill McDuffie’s at-large seat until the special election could be held.

“So she’s trying to win her boss’ old seat. She’s currently an interim council member. [There’s] some question of whether that is going to help her in terms of recognition and everything,” Dil said.

“Doni Crawford is a budget expert. She’s worked in the Wilson Building for a long time.”

Decision 2026 May 27

DC primary: What to know about the 5 Democratic candidates running for Ward 1

Decision 2026 May 28

What to know about the primary for an at-large seat on the DC Council

Jacque Patterson is a Ward 8 resident and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner who worked as a Community Affairs coordinator for former mayor Tony Williams and at the Department of Health during former mayor Vince Gray’s administration.

“He’s a school board member, and this is another run for him for council,” Dil said.

Elissa Silverman is another familiar name.

“So, people might remember the name Elyssa Silverman, a former progressive council member. She’s running for the seat, trying to win her seat back after she lost re-election several years ago,” Dil said.

“This is a big race because Elyssa Silverman has wanted to get back on the council for a while after losing her seat. She is running in on a lot of the same themes: protecting taxpayer money, investment, also being very progressive on a lot of issues. She is trying to … I would say, make another play at leading the progressive wing of D.C. politics — if she can win that seat back,” he said.

Unlike the other races on the ballot in which winning candidates will have to compete in the November general election, the winner of this race will be sworn in after the results are certified and fill out the remaining six months of McDuffie’s term.

D.C. will have another election in November for a full, four-year term for the same seat.

D.C.’s primary election on June 16 includes a special election to fill the at-large D.C. Council seat vacated when Kenyan McDuffie resigned to run for mayor.

Doni Crawford, Jacque Patterson and Elissa Silverman are the three candidates running for the seat. All are registered as Independents.

Axios reporter Cuneyt Dil spoke with News4 to break down what to know about each of the candidates:

Doni Crawford used to work for McDuffie. Council Chair Phil Mendelson tapped Crawford to fill McDuffie’s at-large seat until the special election could be held.

“So she’s trying to win her boss’ old seat. She’s currently an interim council member. [There’s] some question of whether that is going to help her in terms of recognition and everything,” Dil said.

“Doni Crawford is a budget expert. She’s worked in the Wilson Building for a long time.”

Decision 2026 May 27

DC primary: What to know about the 5 Democratic candidates running for Ward 1

Decision 2026 May 28

What to know about the primary for an at-large seat on the DC Council

Jacque Patterson is a Ward 8 resident and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner who worked as a Community Affairs coordinator for former mayor Tony Williams and at the Department of Health during former mayor Vince Gray’s administration.

“He’s a school board member, and this is another run for him for council,” Dil said.

Elissa Silverman is another familiar name.

“So, people might remember the name Elyssa Silverman, a former progressive council member. She’s running for the seat, trying to win her seat back after she lost re-election several years ago,” Dil said.

“This is a big race because Elyssa Silverman has wanted to get back on the council for a while after losing her seat. She is running in on a lot of the same themes: protecting taxpayer money, investment, also being very progressive on a lot of issues. She is trying to … I would say, make another play at leading the progressive wing of D.C. politics — if she can win that seat back,” he said.

Unlike the other races on the ballot in which winning candidates will have to compete in the November general election, the winner of this race will be sworn in after the results are certified and fill out the remaining six months of McDuffie’s term.

D.C. will have another election in November for a full, four-year term for the same seat.

D.C.’s primary election on June 16 includes a special election to fill the at-large D.C. Council seat vacated when Kenyan McDuffie resigned to run for mayor.

Doni Crawford, Jacque Patterson and Elissa Silverman are the three candidates running for the seat. All are registered as Independents.

Axios reporter Cuneyt Dil spoke with News4 to break down what to know about each of the candidates:

Doni Crawford used to work for McDuffie. Council Chair Phil Mendelson tapped Crawford to fill McDuffie’s at-large seat until the special election could be held.

“So she’s trying to win her boss’ old seat. She’s currently an interim council member. [There’s] some question of whether that is going to help her in terms of recognition and everything,” Dil said.

“Doni Crawford is a budget expert. She’s worked in the Wilson Building for a long time.”

Decision 2026 May 27

DC primary: What to know about the 5 Democratic candidates running for Ward 1

Decision 2026 May 28

What to know about the primary for an at-large seat on the DC Council

Jacque Patterson is a Ward 8 resident and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner who worked as a Community Affairs coordinator for former mayor Tony Williams and at the Department of Health during former mayor Vince Gray’s administration.

“He’s a school board member, and this is another run for him for council,” Dil said.

Elissa Silverman is another familiar name.

“So, people might remember the name Elyssa Silverman, a former progressive council member. She’s running for the seat, trying to win her seat back after she lost re-election several years ago,” Dil said.

“This is a big race because Elyssa Silverman has wanted to get back on the council for a while after losing her seat. She is running in on a lot of the same themes: protecting taxpayer money, investment, also being very progressive on a lot of issues. She is trying to … I would say, make another play at leading the progressive wing of D.C. politics — if she can win that seat back,” he said.

Unlike the other races on the ballot in which winning candidates will have to compete in the November general election, the winner of this race will be sworn in after the results are certified and fill out the remaining six months of McDuffie’s term.

D.C. will have another election in November for a full, four-year term for the same seat.

D.C.’s primary election on June 16 includes a special election to fill the at-large D.C. Council seat vacated when Kenyan McDuffie resigned to run for mayor.

Doni Crawford, Jacque Patterson and Elissa Silverman are the three candidates running for the seat. All are registered as Independents.

Axios reporter Cuneyt Dil spoke with News4 to break down what to know about each of the candidates:

Doni Crawford used to work for McDuffie. Council Chair Phil Mendelson tapped Crawford to fill McDuffie’s at-large seat until the special election could be held.

“So she’s trying to win her boss’ old seat. She’s currently an interim council member. [There’s] some question of whether that is going to help her in terms of recognition and everything,” Dil said.

“Doni Crawford is a budget expert. She’s worked in the Wilson Building for a long time.”

Decision 2026 May 27

DC primary: What to know about the 5 Democratic candidates running for Ward 1

Decision 2026 May 28

What to know about the primary for an at-large seat on the DC Council

Jacque Patterson is a Ward 8 resident and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner who worked as a Community Affairs coordinator for former mayor Tony Williams and at the Department of Health during former mayor Vince Gray’s administration.

“He’s a school board member, and this is another run for him for council,” Dil said.

Elissa Silverman is another familiar name.

“So, people might remember the name Elyssa Silverman, a former progressive council member. She’s running for the seat, trying to win her seat back after she lost re-election several years ago,” Dil said.

“This is a big race because Elyssa Silverman has wanted to get back on the council for a while after losing her seat. She is running in on a lot of the same themes: protecting taxpayer money, investment, also being very progressive on a lot of issues. She is trying to … I would say, make another play at leading the progressive wing of D.C. politics — if she can win that seat back,” he said.

Unlike the other races on the ballot in which winning candidates will have to compete in the November general election, the winner of this race will be sworn in after the results are certified and fill out the remaining six months of McDuffie’s term.

D.C. will have another election in November for a full, four-year term for the same seat.

D.C.’s primary election on June 16 includes a special election to fill the at-large D.C. Council seat vacated when Kenyan McDuffie resigned to run for mayor.

Doni Crawford, Jacque Patterson and Elissa Silverman are the three candidates running for the seat. All are registered as Independents.

Axios reporter Cuneyt Dil spoke with News4 to break down what to know about each of the candidates:

Doni Crawford used to work for McDuffie. Council Chair Phil Mendelson tapped Crawford to fill McDuffie’s at-large seat until the special election could be held.

“So she’s trying to win her boss’ old seat. She’s currently an interim council member. [There’s] some question of whether that is going to help her in terms of recognition and everything,” Dil said.

“Doni Crawford is a budget expert. She’s worked in the Wilson Building for a long time.”

Decision 2026 May 27

DC primary: What to know about the 5 Democratic candidates running for Ward 1

Decision 2026 May 28

What to know about the primary for an at-large seat on the DC Council

Jacque Patterson is a Ward 8 resident and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner who worked as a Community Affairs coordinator for former mayor Tony Williams and at the Department of Health during former mayor Vince Gray’s administration.

“He’s a school board member, and this is another run for him for council,” Dil said.

Elissa Silverman is another familiar name.

“So, people might remember the name Elyssa Silverman, a former progressive council member. She’s running for the seat, trying to win her seat back after she lost re-election several years ago,” Dil said.

“This is a big race because Elyssa Silverman has wanted to get back on the council for a while after losing her seat. She is running in on a lot of the same themes: protecting taxpayer money, investment, also being very progressive on a lot of issues. She is trying to … I would say, make another play at leading the progressive wing of D.C. politics — if she can win that seat back,” he said.

Unlike the other races on the ballot in which winning candidates will have to compete in the November general election, the winner of this race will be sworn in after the results are certified and fill out the remaining six months of McDuffie’s term.

D.C. will have another election in November for a full, four-year term for the same seat.

D.C.’s primary election on June 16 includes a special election to fill the at-large D.C. Council seat vacated when Kenyan McDuffie resigned to run for mayor.

Doni Crawford, Jacque Patterson and Elissa Silverman are the three candidates running for the seat. All are registered as Independents.

Axios reporter Cuneyt Dil spoke with News4 to break down what to know about each of the candidates:

Doni Crawford used to work for McDuffie. Council Chair Phil Mendelson tapped Crawford to fill McDuffie’s at-large seat until the special election could be held.

“So she’s trying to win her boss’ old seat. She’s currently an interim council member. [There’s] some question of whether that is going to help her in terms of recognition and everything,” Dil said.

“Doni Crawford is a budget expert. She’s worked in the Wilson Building for a long time.”

Decision 2026 May 27

DC primary: What to know about the 5 Democratic candidates running for Ward 1

Decision 2026 May 28

What to know about the primary for an at-large seat on the DC Council

Jacque Patterson is a Ward 8 resident and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner who worked as a Community Affairs coordinator for former mayor Tony Williams and at the Department of Health during former mayor Vince Gray’s administration.

“He’s a school board member, and this is another run for him for council,” Dil said.

Elissa Silverman is another familiar name.

“So, people might remember the name Elyssa Silverman, a former progressive council member. She’s running for the seat, trying to win her seat back after she lost re-election several years ago,” Dil said.

“This is a big race because Elyssa Silverman has wanted to get back on the council for a while after losing her seat. She is running in on a lot of the same themes: protecting taxpayer money, investment, also being very progressive on a lot of issues. She is trying to … I would say, make another play at leading the progressive wing of D.C. politics — if she can win that seat back,” he said.

Unlike the other races on the ballot in which winning candidates will have to compete in the November general election, the winner of this race will be sworn in after the results are certified and fill out the remaining six months of McDuffie’s term.

D.C. will have another election in November for a full, four-year term for the same seat.

A commercial bus crash in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens of others has raised questions about the driver, the company that employed him and the overall safety of the industry.

It’s not yet clear what could have prevented last week’s crash because the National Transportation Safety Board investigation is just beginning. Still, it highlights the inherent dangers whenever a bus or semitruck crashes into other vehicles — even if riding a bus is much safer statistically than driving a car.

While collision-avoidance technology and emergency braking systems are standard on many new cars, commercial buses still lack them — even in the face of longtime NTSB recommendations and proposed regulations to require them.

Observers say the circumstances of the crash that happened early Friday also raise questions about driver fatigue. Court records, meanwhile, show that the E&P Travel Inc. bus driver, who now faces manslaughter charges, was previously ticketed for excessive speeding, along with other drivers for the same company.

While those tickets might not have been enough to automatically revoke the man’s commercial driver’s license, industry experts say even one similar violation would normally get a driver fired.

“The fact that there was one conviction and another citation and this driver is still on the road goes against industry norms and best practices in a pretty significant way,” said Fred Ferguson, who leads the American Bus Association trade group.

That NTSB crash investigators also have no power to enforce their recommendations factors into why so many have gone unfulfilled for years, as the industry and regulators often focus on the potential costs involved.

“Everybody walks a walk in talking safety at the industry level, at the congressional level. And then at the end of the day, it’s the same old excuses,” said Jim Hall, who was chairman of the NTSB during the 1990s. “And if it costs money, there’s going to be a strong resistance.”

A history of speeding

Federal rules say that a driver who is convicted twice within three years for driving more than 15 mph over the limit should be disqualified for 60 days.

The bus driver in last week’s crash, Jing Sheng Dong, of New York City, was previously convicted of driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone in Virginia in 2024, and received a second ticket in March in Annapolis, Maryland, that accused him of driving a motorcoach 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. The 48-year-old is now facing five charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving.

But Ned Einstein, an expert witness in some 700 transportation lawsuits, said he doubts the criminal charges filed after the crash will be effective at making roads safer because Dong didn’t create the conditions that likely contributed to it.

“They never hit the heart of the problem and never go after the person who’s responsible, and the person that’s responsible for these things is the person that runs the company,” Einstein said, explaining that drivers have to take the shifts they are given while company owners set the schedules and run the businesses.

Potomac Crash Jun 1

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Virginia Jun 1

Bus driver in deadly I-95 crash was due in court over prior speeding ticket

Friday’s crash also happened around 2:30 a.m. ET — roughly five hours into a trip from New York to North Carolina. That makes former state trooper Jeremy Disbrow, who helps train law enforcement with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, wonder whether fatigue may have been a factor.

Bus drivers are prohibited under federal law from driving more than 10 hours or working more than 15 hours without taking at least eight hours off to rest. Electronic logs have helped better enforce those rules than paper logbooks, although there have been instances where the former have been tampered with.

Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure. The bus hit that vehicle, and a third vehicle rear-ended the bus. The bus driver, Pei Jie Lu, later pleaded guilty to failure to reduce speed. That crash occurred three months after Lu was ticketed in Maryland for negligent driving and changing lanes unsafely, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in that case in September 2024.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said federal investigators are looking into Dong’s background as well as the company that hired him and the school that trained him. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is also trying to confirm that New York followed the rules when it awarded Dong a commercial driver’s license. Duffy has worked to strengthen and enforce standards for CDL holders, but that effort has focused on truck drivers.

A long list of unfulfilled recommendations

Even when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees that something is a good idea, like automatic braking, it often takes years to finalize a rule requiring it. Commercial buses, for example, have only been required to have seat belts since 2016.

Numerous NTSB recommendations for buses and other commercial vehicles have never been adopted, including stricter standards to reduce driver fatigue and ensure drivers get enough rest between trips. A rule to require collision-avoidance technology in commercial buses and trucks was proposed in 2023, but it remains pending.

Ultimately, it falls to regulators, Congress and the industry to adopt them. Unlike regulators who must conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the NTSB isn’t required to consider how practical its recommendations are. It simply urges safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.

The Transportation Department didn’t immediately respond this week to questions about why so many recommendations go unfulfilled.

Many bus companies do invest in safety

The American Bus Association trade group works to promote safety measures and Ferguson said driver-monitoring technology, such as inward-facing video cameras and advanced telematics systems similar to those used by major auto insurers, has become common. Some of those systems can even send alerts about driver behavior to a bus company.

Ferguson also said some companies have installed collision-avoidance technology on their buses because “the difference between catastrophic accidents and not having catastrophic accidents is you keeping your company.”

But cost is a factor — a new motorcoach previously cost roughly $650,000, and the industry is now dealing with the impact of 10% tariffs. Ferguson said newer buses have the most safety features, but increasing costs will slow upgrades.

“Operating safely not only is morally and ethically what they believe in, but it’s good business,” said Ferguson, whose group represents about 40% of the 1,800 companies that operate about 50,000 motorcoaches across the United States and Canada.

___

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Allen G. Breed contributed from Wake Forest, North Carolina.

A commercial bus crash in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens of others has raised questions about the driver, the company that employed him and the overall safety of the industry.

It’s not yet clear what could have prevented last week’s crash because the National Transportation Safety Board investigation is just beginning. Still, it highlights the inherent dangers whenever a bus or semitruck crashes into other vehicles — even if riding a bus is much safer statistically than driving a car.

While collision-avoidance technology and emergency braking systems are standard on many new cars, commercial buses still lack them — even in the face of longtime NTSB recommendations and proposed regulations to require them.

Observers say the circumstances of the crash that happened early Friday also raise questions about driver fatigue. Court records, meanwhile, show that the E&P Travel Inc. bus driver, who now faces manslaughter charges, was previously ticketed for excessive speeding, along with other drivers for the same company.

While those tickets might not have been enough to automatically revoke the man’s commercial driver’s license, industry experts say even one similar violation would normally get a driver fired.

“The fact that there was one conviction and another citation and this driver is still on the road goes against industry norms and best practices in a pretty significant way,” said Fred Ferguson, who leads the American Bus Association trade group.

That NTSB crash investigators also have no power to enforce their recommendations factors into why so many have gone unfulfilled for years, as the industry and regulators often focus on the potential costs involved.

“Everybody walks a walk in talking safety at the industry level, at the congressional level. And then at the end of the day, it’s the same old excuses,” said Jim Hall, who was chairman of the NTSB during the 1990s. “And if it costs money, there’s going to be a strong resistance.”

A history of speeding

Federal rules say that a driver who is convicted twice within three years for driving more than 15 mph over the limit should be disqualified for 60 days.

The bus driver in last week’s crash, Jing Sheng Dong, of New York City, was previously convicted of driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone in Virginia in 2024, and received a second ticket in March in Annapolis, Maryland, that accused him of driving a motorcoach 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. The 48-year-old is now facing five charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving.

But Ned Einstein, an expert witness in some 700 transportation lawsuits, said he doubts the criminal charges filed after the crash will be effective at making roads safer because Dong didn’t create the conditions that likely contributed to it.

“They never hit the heart of the problem and never go after the person who’s responsible, and the person that’s responsible for these things is the person that runs the company,” Einstein said, explaining that drivers have to take the shifts they are given while company owners set the schedules and run the businesses.

Potomac Crash Jun 1

‘Immense tragedy': DCA crash victims honored with memorial on Potomac

Virginia Jun 1

Bus driver in deadly I-95 crash was due in court over prior speeding ticket

Friday’s crash also happened around 2:30 a.m. ET — roughly five hours into a trip from New York to North Carolina. That makes former state trooper Jeremy Disbrow, who helps train law enforcement with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, wonder whether fatigue may have been a factor.

Bus drivers are prohibited under federal law from driving more than 10 hours or working more than 15 hours without taking at least eight hours off to rest. Electronic logs have helped better enforce those rules than paper logbooks, although there have been instances where the former have been tampered with.

Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure. The bus hit that vehicle, and a third vehicle rear-ended the bus. The bus driver, Pei Jie Lu, later pleaded guilty to failure to reduce speed. That crash occurred three months after Lu was ticketed in Maryland for negligent driving and changing lanes unsafely, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in that case in September 2024.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said federal investigators are looking into Dong’s background as well as the company that hired him and the school that trained him. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is also trying to confirm that New York followed the rules when it awarded Dong a commercial driver’s license. Duffy has worked to strengthen and enforce standards for CDL holders, but that effort has focused on truck drivers.

A long list of unfulfilled recommendations

Even when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees that something is a good idea, like automatic braking, it often takes years to finalize a rule requiring it. Commercial buses, for example, have only been required to have seat belts since 2016.

Numerous NTSB recommendations for buses and other commercial vehicles have never been adopted, including stricter standards to reduce driver fatigue and ensure drivers get enough rest between trips. A rule to require collision-avoidance technology in commercial buses and trucks was proposed in 2023, but it remains pending.

Ultimately, it falls to regulators, Congress and the industry to adopt them. Unlike regulators who must conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the NTSB isn’t required to consider how practical its recommendations are. It simply urges safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.

The Transportation Department didn’t immediately respond this week to questions about why so many recommendations go unfulfilled.

Many bus companies do invest in safety

The American Bus Association trade group works to promote safety measures and Ferguson said driver-monitoring technology, such as inward-facing video cameras and advanced telematics systems similar to those used by major auto insurers, has become common. Some of those systems can even send alerts about driver behavior to a bus company.

Ferguson also said some companies have installed collision-avoidance technology on their buses because “the difference between catastrophic accidents and not having catastrophic accidents is you keeping your company.”

But cost is a factor — a new motorcoach previously cost roughly $650,000, and the industry is now dealing with the impact of 10% tariffs. Ferguson said newer buses have the most safety features, but increasing costs will slow upgrades.

“Operating safely not only is morally and ethically what they believe in, but it’s good business,” said Ferguson, whose group represents about 40% of the 1,800 companies that operate about 50,000 motorcoaches across the United States and Canada.

___

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Allen G. Breed contributed from Wake Forest, North Carolina.

A commercial bus crash in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens of others has raised questions about the driver, the company that employed him and the overall safety of the industry.

It’s not yet clear what could have prevented last week’s crash because the National Transportation Safety Board investigation is just beginning. Still, it highlights the inherent dangers whenever a bus or semitruck crashes into other vehicles — even if riding a bus is much safer statistically than driving a car.

While collision-avoidance technology and emergency braking systems are standard on many new cars, commercial buses still lack them — even in the face of longtime NTSB recommendations and proposed regulations to require them.

Observers say the circumstances of the crash that happened early Friday also raise questions about driver fatigue. Court records, meanwhile, show that the E&P Travel Inc. bus driver, who now faces manslaughter charges, was previously ticketed for excessive speeding, along with other drivers for the same company.

While those tickets might not have been enough to automatically revoke the man’s commercial driver’s license, industry experts say even one similar violation would normally get a driver fired.

“The fact that there was one conviction and another citation and this driver is still on the road goes against industry norms and best practices in a pretty significant way,” said Fred Ferguson, who leads the American Bus Association trade group.

That NTSB crash investigators also have no power to enforce their recommendations factors into why so many have gone unfulfilled for years, as the industry and regulators often focus on the potential costs involved.

“Everybody walks a walk in talking safety at the industry level, at the congressional level. And then at the end of the day, it’s the same old excuses,” said Jim Hall, who was chairman of the NTSB during the 1990s. “And if it costs money, there’s going to be a strong resistance.”

A history of speeding

Federal rules say that a driver who is convicted twice within three years for driving more than 15 mph over the limit should be disqualified for 60 days.

The bus driver in last week’s crash, Jing Sheng Dong, of New York City, was previously convicted of driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone in Virginia in 2024, and received a second ticket in March in Annapolis, Maryland, that accused him of driving a motorcoach 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. The 48-year-old is now facing five charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving.

But Ned Einstein, an expert witness in some 700 transportation lawsuits, said he doubts the criminal charges filed after the crash will be effective at making roads safer because Dong didn’t create the conditions that likely contributed to it.

“They never hit the heart of the problem and never go after the person who’s responsible, and the person that’s responsible for these things is the person that runs the company,” Einstein said, explaining that drivers have to take the shifts they are given while company owners set the schedules and run the businesses.

Potomac Crash Jun 1

‘Immense tragedy': DCA crash victims honored with memorial on Potomac

Virginia Jun 1

Bus driver in deadly I-95 crash was due in court over prior speeding ticket

Friday’s crash also happened around 2:30 a.m. ET — roughly five hours into a trip from New York to North Carolina. That makes former state trooper Jeremy Disbrow, who helps train law enforcement with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, wonder whether fatigue may have been a factor.

Bus drivers are prohibited under federal law from driving more than 10 hours or working more than 15 hours without taking at least eight hours off to rest. Electronic logs have helped better enforce those rules than paper logbooks, although there have been instances where the former have been tampered with.

Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure. The bus hit that vehicle, and a third vehicle rear-ended the bus. The bus driver, Pei Jie Lu, later pleaded guilty to failure to reduce speed. That crash occurred three months after Lu was ticketed in Maryland for negligent driving and changing lanes unsafely, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in that case in September 2024.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said federal investigators are looking into Dong’s background as well as the company that hired him and the school that trained him. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is also trying to confirm that New York followed the rules when it awarded Dong a commercial driver’s license. Duffy has worked to strengthen and enforce standards for CDL holders, but that effort has focused on truck drivers.

A long list of unfulfilled recommendations

Even when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees that something is a good idea, like automatic braking, it often takes years to finalize a rule requiring it. Commercial buses, for example, have only been required to have seat belts since 2016.

Numerous NTSB recommendations for buses and other commercial vehicles have never been adopted, including stricter standards to reduce driver fatigue and ensure drivers get enough rest between trips. A rule to require collision-avoidance technology in commercial buses and trucks was proposed in 2023, but it remains pending.

Ultimately, it falls to regulators, Congress and the industry to adopt them. Unlike regulators who must conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the NTSB isn’t required to consider how practical its recommendations are. It simply urges safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.

The Transportation Department didn’t immediately respond this week to questions about why so many recommendations go unfulfilled.

Many bus companies do invest in safety

The American Bus Association trade group works to promote safety measures and Ferguson said driver-monitoring technology, such as inward-facing video cameras and advanced telematics systems similar to those used by major auto insurers, has become common. Some of those systems can even send alerts about driver behavior to a bus company.

Ferguson also said some companies have installed collision-avoidance technology on their buses because “the difference between catastrophic accidents and not having catastrophic accidents is you keeping your company.”

But cost is a factor — a new motorcoach previously cost roughly $650,000, and the industry is now dealing with the impact of 10% tariffs. Ferguson said newer buses have the most safety features, but increasing costs will slow upgrades.

“Operating safely not only is morally and ethically what they believe in, but it’s good business,” said Ferguson, whose group represents about 40% of the 1,800 companies that operate about 50,000 motorcoaches across the United States and Canada.

___

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Allen G. Breed contributed from Wake Forest, North Carolina.

A commercial bus crash in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens of others has raised questions about the driver, the company that employed him and the overall safety of the industry.

It’s not yet clear what could have prevented last week’s crash because the National Transportation Safety Board investigation is just beginning. Still, it highlights the inherent dangers whenever a bus or semitruck crashes into other vehicles — even if riding a bus is much safer statistically than driving a car.

While collision-avoidance technology and emergency braking systems are standard on many new cars, commercial buses still lack them — even in the face of longtime NTSB recommendations and proposed regulations to require them.

Observers say the circumstances of the crash that happened early Friday also raise questions about driver fatigue. Court records, meanwhile, show that the E&P Travel Inc. bus driver, who now faces manslaughter charges, was previously ticketed for excessive speeding, along with other drivers for the same company.

While those tickets might not have been enough to automatically revoke the man’s commercial driver’s license, industry experts say even one similar violation would normally get a driver fired.

“The fact that there was one conviction and another citation and this driver is still on the road goes against industry norms and best practices in a pretty significant way,” said Fred Ferguson, who leads the American Bus Association trade group.

That NTSB crash investigators also have no power to enforce their recommendations factors into why so many have gone unfulfilled for years, as the industry and regulators often focus on the potential costs involved.

“Everybody walks a walk in talking safety at the industry level, at the congressional level. And then at the end of the day, it’s the same old excuses,” said Jim Hall, who was chairman of the NTSB during the 1990s. “And if it costs money, there’s going to be a strong resistance.”

A history of speeding

Federal rules say that a driver who is convicted twice within three years for driving more than 15 mph over the limit should be disqualified for 60 days.

The bus driver in last week’s crash, Jing Sheng Dong, of New York City, was previously convicted of driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone in Virginia in 2024, and received a second ticket in March in Annapolis, Maryland, that accused him of driving a motorcoach 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. The 48-year-old is now facing five charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving.

But Ned Einstein, an expert witness in some 700 transportation lawsuits, said he doubts the criminal charges filed after the crash will be effective at making roads safer because Dong didn’t create the conditions that likely contributed to it.

“They never hit the heart of the problem and never go after the person who’s responsible, and the person that’s responsible for these things is the person that runs the company,” Einstein said, explaining that drivers have to take the shifts they are given while company owners set the schedules and run the businesses.

Potomac Crash Jun 1

‘Immense tragedy': DCA crash victims honored with memorial on Potomac

Virginia Jun 1

Bus driver in deadly I-95 crash was due in court over prior speeding ticket

Friday’s crash also happened around 2:30 a.m. ET — roughly five hours into a trip from New York to North Carolina. That makes former state trooper Jeremy Disbrow, who helps train law enforcement with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, wonder whether fatigue may have been a factor.

Bus drivers are prohibited under federal law from driving more than 10 hours or working more than 15 hours without taking at least eight hours off to rest. Electronic logs have helped better enforce those rules than paper logbooks, although there have been instances where the former have been tampered with.

Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure. The bus hit that vehicle, and a third vehicle rear-ended the bus. The bus driver, Pei Jie Lu, later pleaded guilty to failure to reduce speed. That crash occurred three months after Lu was ticketed in Maryland for negligent driving and changing lanes unsafely, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in that case in September 2024.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said federal investigators are looking into Dong’s background as well as the company that hired him and the school that trained him. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is also trying to confirm that New York followed the rules when it awarded Dong a commercial driver’s license. Duffy has worked to strengthen and enforce standards for CDL holders, but that effort has focused on truck drivers.

A long list of unfulfilled recommendations

Even when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees that something is a good idea, like automatic braking, it often takes years to finalize a rule requiring it. Commercial buses, for example, have only been required to have seat belts since 2016.

Numerous NTSB recommendations for buses and other commercial vehicles have never been adopted, including stricter standards to reduce driver fatigue and ensure drivers get enough rest between trips. A rule to require collision-avoidance technology in commercial buses and trucks was proposed in 2023, but it remains pending.

Ultimately, it falls to regulators, Congress and the industry to adopt them. Unlike regulators who must conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the NTSB isn’t required to consider how practical its recommendations are. It simply urges safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.

The Transportation Department didn’t immediately respond this week to questions about why so many recommendations go unfulfilled.

Many bus companies do invest in safety

The American Bus Association trade group works to promote safety measures and Ferguson said driver-monitoring technology, such as inward-facing video cameras and advanced telematics systems similar to those used by major auto insurers, has become common. Some of those systems can even send alerts about driver behavior to a bus company.

Ferguson also said some companies have installed collision-avoidance technology on their buses because “the difference between catastrophic accidents and not having catastrophic accidents is you keeping your company.”

But cost is a factor — a new motorcoach previously cost roughly $650,000, and the industry is now dealing with the impact of 10% tariffs. Ferguson said newer buses have the most safety features, but increasing costs will slow upgrades.

“Operating safely not only is morally and ethically what they believe in, but it’s good business,” said Ferguson, whose group represents about 40% of the 1,800 companies that operate about 50,000 motorcoaches across the United States and Canada.

___

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Allen G. Breed contributed from Wake Forest, North Carolina.

A commercial bus crash in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens of others has raised questions about the driver, the company that employed him and the overall safety of the industry.

It’s not yet clear what could have prevented last week’s crash because the National Transportation Safety Board investigation is just beginning. Still, it highlights the inherent dangers whenever a bus or semitruck crashes into other vehicles — even if riding a bus is much safer statistically than driving a car.

While collision-avoidance technology and emergency braking systems are standard on many new cars, commercial buses still lack them — even in the face of longtime NTSB recommendations and proposed regulations to require them.

Observers say the circumstances of the crash that happened early Friday also raise questions about driver fatigue. Court records, meanwhile, show that the E&P Travel Inc. bus driver, who now faces manslaughter charges, was previously ticketed for excessive speeding, along with other drivers for the same company.

While those tickets might not have been enough to automatically revoke the man’s commercial driver’s license, industry experts say even one similar violation would normally get a driver fired.

“The fact that there was one conviction and another citation and this driver is still on the road goes against industry norms and best practices in a pretty significant way,” said Fred Ferguson, who leads the American Bus Association trade group.

That NTSB crash investigators also have no power to enforce their recommendations factors into why so many have gone unfulfilled for years, as the industry and regulators often focus on the potential costs involved.

“Everybody walks a walk in talking safety at the industry level, at the congressional level. And then at the end of the day, it’s the same old excuses,” said Jim Hall, who was chairman of the NTSB during the 1990s. “And if it costs money, there’s going to be a strong resistance.”

A history of speeding

Federal rules say that a driver who is convicted twice within three years for driving more than 15 mph over the limit should be disqualified for 60 days.

The bus driver in last week’s crash, Jing Sheng Dong, of New York City, was previously convicted of driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone in Virginia in 2024, and received a second ticket in March in Annapolis, Maryland, that accused him of driving a motorcoach 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. The 48-year-old is now facing five charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving.

But Ned Einstein, an expert witness in some 700 transportation lawsuits, said he doubts the criminal charges filed after the crash will be effective at making roads safer because Dong didn’t create the conditions that likely contributed to it.

“They never hit the heart of the problem and never go after the person who’s responsible, and the person that’s responsible for these things is the person that runs the company,” Einstein said, explaining that drivers have to take the shifts they are given while company owners set the schedules and run the businesses.

Potomac Crash Jun 1

‘Immense tragedy': DCA crash victims honored with memorial on Potomac

Virginia Jun 1

Bus driver in deadly I-95 crash was due in court over prior speeding ticket

Friday’s crash also happened around 2:30 a.m. ET — roughly five hours into a trip from New York to North Carolina. That makes former state trooper Jeremy Disbrow, who helps train law enforcement with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, wonder whether fatigue may have been a factor.

Bus drivers are prohibited under federal law from driving more than 10 hours or working more than 15 hours without taking at least eight hours off to rest. Electronic logs have helped better enforce those rules than paper logbooks, although there have been instances where the former have been tampered with.

Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure. The bus hit that vehicle, and a third vehicle rear-ended the bus. The bus driver, Pei Jie Lu, later pleaded guilty to failure to reduce speed. That crash occurred three months after Lu was ticketed in Maryland for negligent driving and changing lanes unsafely, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in that case in September 2024.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said federal investigators are looking into Dong’s background as well as the company that hired him and the school that trained him. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is also trying to confirm that New York followed the rules when it awarded Dong a commercial driver’s license. Duffy has worked to strengthen and enforce standards for CDL holders, but that effort has focused on truck drivers.

A long list of unfulfilled recommendations

Even when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees that something is a good idea, like automatic braking, it often takes years to finalize a rule requiring it. Commercial buses, for example, have only been required to have seat belts since 2016.

Numerous NTSB recommendations for buses and other commercial vehicles have never been adopted, including stricter standards to reduce driver fatigue and ensure drivers get enough rest between trips. A rule to require collision-avoidance technology in commercial buses and trucks was proposed in 2023, but it remains pending.

Ultimately, it falls to regulators, Congress and the industry to adopt them. Unlike regulators who must conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the NTSB isn’t required to consider how practical its recommendations are. It simply urges safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.

The Transportation Department didn’t immediately respond this week to questions about why so many recommendations go unfulfilled.

Many bus companies do invest in safety

The American Bus Association trade group works to promote safety measures and Ferguson said driver-monitoring technology, such as inward-facing video cameras and advanced telematics systems similar to those used by major auto insurers, has become common. Some of those systems can even send alerts about driver behavior to a bus company.

Ferguson also said some companies have installed collision-avoidance technology on their buses because “the difference between catastrophic accidents and not having catastrophic accidents is you keeping your company.”

But cost is a factor — a new motorcoach previously cost roughly $650,000, and the industry is now dealing with the impact of 10% tariffs. Ferguson said newer buses have the most safety features, but increasing costs will slow upgrades.

“Operating safely not only is morally and ethically what they believe in, but it’s good business,” said Ferguson, whose group represents about 40% of the 1,800 companies that operate about 50,000 motorcoaches across the United States and Canada.

___

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Allen G. Breed contributed from Wake Forest, North Carolina.

A commercial bus crash in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens of others has raised questions about the driver, the company that employed him and the overall safety of the industry.

It’s not yet clear what could have prevented last week’s crash because the National Transportation Safety Board investigation is just beginning. Still, it highlights the inherent dangers whenever a bus or semitruck crashes into other vehicles — even if riding a bus is much safer statistically than driving a car.

While collision-avoidance technology and emergency braking systems are standard on many new cars, commercial buses still lack them — even in the face of longtime NTSB recommendations and proposed regulations to require them.

Observers say the circumstances of the crash that happened early Friday also raise questions about driver fatigue. Court records, meanwhile, show that the E&P Travel Inc. bus driver, who now faces manslaughter charges, was previously ticketed for excessive speeding, along with other drivers for the same company.

While those tickets might not have been enough to automatically revoke the man’s commercial driver’s license, industry experts say even one similar violation would normally get a driver fired.

“The fact that there was one conviction and another citation and this driver is still on the road goes against industry norms and best practices in a pretty significant way,” said Fred Ferguson, who leads the American Bus Association trade group.

That NTSB crash investigators also have no power to enforce their recommendations factors into why so many have gone unfulfilled for years, as the industry and regulators often focus on the potential costs involved.

“Everybody walks a walk in talking safety at the industry level, at the congressional level. And then at the end of the day, it’s the same old excuses,” said Jim Hall, who was chairman of the NTSB during the 1990s. “And if it costs money, there’s going to be a strong resistance.”

A history of speeding

Federal rules say that a driver who is convicted twice within three years for driving more than 15 mph over the limit should be disqualified for 60 days.

The bus driver in last week’s crash, Jing Sheng Dong, of New York City, was previously convicted of driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone in Virginia in 2024, and received a second ticket in March in Annapolis, Maryland, that accused him of driving a motorcoach 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. The 48-year-old is now facing five charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving.

But Ned Einstein, an expert witness in some 700 transportation lawsuits, said he doubts the criminal charges filed after the crash will be effective at making roads safer because Dong didn’t create the conditions that likely contributed to it.

“They never hit the heart of the problem and never go after the person who’s responsible, and the person that’s responsible for these things is the person that runs the company,” Einstein said, explaining that drivers have to take the shifts they are given while company owners set the schedules and run the businesses.

Potomac Crash Jun 1

‘Immense tragedy': DCA crash victims honored with memorial on Potomac

Virginia Jun 1

Bus driver in deadly I-95 crash was due in court over prior speeding ticket

Friday’s crash also happened around 2:30 a.m. ET — roughly five hours into a trip from New York to North Carolina. That makes former state trooper Jeremy Disbrow, who helps train law enforcement with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, wonder whether fatigue may have been a factor.

Bus drivers are prohibited under federal law from driving more than 10 hours or working more than 15 hours without taking at least eight hours off to rest. Electronic logs have helped better enforce those rules than paper logbooks, although there have been instances where the former have been tampered with.

Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure. The bus hit that vehicle, and a third vehicle rear-ended the bus. The bus driver, Pei Jie Lu, later pleaded guilty to failure to reduce speed. That crash occurred three months after Lu was ticketed in Maryland for negligent driving and changing lanes unsafely, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in that case in September 2024.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said federal investigators are looking into Dong’s background as well as the company that hired him and the school that trained him. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is also trying to confirm that New York followed the rules when it awarded Dong a commercial driver’s license. Duffy has worked to strengthen and enforce standards for CDL holders, but that effort has focused on truck drivers.

A long list of unfulfilled recommendations

Even when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees that something is a good idea, like automatic braking, it often takes years to finalize a rule requiring it. Commercial buses, for example, have only been required to have seat belts since 2016.

Numerous NTSB recommendations for buses and other commercial vehicles have never been adopted, including stricter standards to reduce driver fatigue and ensure drivers get enough rest between trips. A rule to require collision-avoidance technology in commercial buses and trucks was proposed in 2023, but it remains pending.

Ultimately, it falls to regulators, Congress and the industry to adopt them. Unlike regulators who must conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the NTSB isn’t required to consider how practical its recommendations are. It simply urges safety improvements to prevent future tragedies.

The Transportation Department didn’t immediately respond this week to questions about why so many recommendations go unfulfilled.

Many bus companies do invest in safety

The American Bus Association trade group works to promote safety measures and Ferguson said driver-monitoring technology, such as inward-facing video cameras and advanced telematics systems similar to those used by major auto insurers, has become common. Some of those systems can even send alerts about driver behavior to a bus company.

Ferguson also said some companies have installed collision-avoidance technology on their buses because “the difference between catastrophic accidents and not having catastrophic accidents is you keeping your company.”

But cost is a factor — a new motorcoach previously cost roughly $650,000, and the industry is now dealing with the impact of 10% tariffs. Ferguson said newer buses have the most safety features, but increasing costs will slow upgrades.

“Operating safely not only is morally and ethically what they believe in, but it’s good business,” said Ferguson, whose group represents about 40% of the 1,800 companies that operate about 50,000 motorcoaches across the United States and Canada.

___

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Allen G. Breed contributed from Wake Forest, North Carolina.

News4’s Mark Segraves hosted a conversation Thursday between D.C. mayoral candidates Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie. NBC4 selected the participants based on publicly available polling.

You can watch the forum online here, on our YouTube page or when it re-airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC4.

News4’s Mark Segraves hosted a conversation Thursday between D.C. mayoral candidates Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie. NBC4 selected the participants based on publicly available polling.

You can watch the forum online here, on our YouTube page or when it re-airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC4.

News4’s Mark Segraves hosted a conversation Thursday between D.C. mayoral candidates Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie. NBC4 selected the participants based on publicly available polling.

You can watch the forum online here, on our YouTube page or when it re-airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC4.

News4’s Mark Segraves hosted a conversation Thursday between D.C. mayoral candidates Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie. NBC4 selected the participants based on publicly available polling.

You can watch the forum online here, on our YouTube page or when it re-airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC4.

News4’s Mark Segraves hosted a conversation Thursday between D.C. mayoral candidates Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie. NBC4 selected the participants based on publicly available polling.

You can watch the forum online here, on our YouTube page or when it re-airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC4.

News4’s Mark Segraves hosted a conversation Thursday between D.C. mayoral candidates Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie. NBC4 selected the participants based on publicly available polling.

You can watch the forum online here, on our YouTube page or when it re-airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC4.

A Maryland high school senior class learned that consistency, community and asking for what you want can get you far in life.

In December, News4 told you about the viral social media campaign Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School launched to get former first lady Michelle Obama to give their commencement address.

That campaign worked, and at graduation on Monday, students saw their efforts pay off.

The viral campaign started when students, daydreaming about possible speakers at a Class of 2026 student government association meeting, thought of Obama.

“I’d watched her documentary ‘Becoming’ on Netflix and, you know, we grew up with her — her being a great speaker, her really emphasizing youth voices, and I just thought she’d be an amazing speaker and we’d be honored to have her at BCC,” the group’s vice president said.

In video after video, they made the ask. Bleachers full of cheering students, sports teams and even a choir singing Obama’s name all pled for her to speak at their graduation.

Obama clearly heard their plea, and recorded a special video address for the Class of 2026.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School played that video on the big screen during the June 1 graduation ceremony.

“We need your heart, your ideas, your optimism more than ever,” Obama told the students in her speech. “Because participation in our democracy is the only way to build a community and a country that reflects who you are and what you. I have no doubt that if you all are leading the way in the years ahead, we’re going to be just fine.”

Montgomery County Jun 3

Michelle Obama addresses Maryland high school grads after students' viral campaign

Michelle Obama Dec 10, 2025

Who gives BCC High School seniors hope? Michelle Obama.

Montgomery County Dec 11, 2025

Michelle Obama for graduation speaker? Maryland students make all-out push online

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A Maryland high school senior class learned that consistency, community and asking for what you want can get you far in life.

In December, News4 told you about the viral social media campaign Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School launched to get former first lady Michelle Obama to give their commencement address.

That campaign worked, and at graduation on Monday, students saw their efforts pay off.

The viral campaign started when students, daydreaming about possible speakers at a Class of 2026 student government association meeting, thought of Obama.

“I’d watched her documentary ‘Becoming’ on Netflix and, you know, we grew up with her — her being a great speaker, her really emphasizing youth voices, and I just thought she’d be an amazing speaker and we’d be honored to have her at BCC,” the group’s vice president said.

In video after video, they made the ask. Bleachers full of cheering students, sports teams and even a choir singing Obama’s name all pled for her to speak at their graduation.

Obama clearly heard their plea, and recorded a special video address for the Class of 2026.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School played that video on the big screen during the June 1 graduation ceremony.

“We need your heart, your ideas, your optimism more than ever,” Obama told the students in her speech. “Because participation in our democracy is the only way to build a community and a country that reflects who you are and what you. I have no doubt that if you all are leading the way in the years ahead, we’re going to be just fine.”

Montgomery County Jun 3

Michelle Obama addresses Maryland high school grads after students' viral campaign

Michelle Obama Dec 10, 2025

Who gives BCC High School seniors hope? Michelle Obama.

Montgomery County Dec 11, 2025

Michelle Obama for graduation speaker? Maryland students make all-out push online

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

A Maryland high school senior class learned that consistency, community and asking for what you want can get you far in life.

In December, News4 told you about the viral social media campaign Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School launched to get former first lady Michelle Obama to give their commencement address.

That campaign worked, and at graduation on Monday, students saw their efforts pay off.

The viral campaign started when students, daydreaming about possible speakers at a Class of 2026 student government association meeting, thought of Obama.

“I’d watched her documentary ‘Becoming’ on Netflix and, you know, we grew up with her — her being a great speaker, her really emphasizing youth voices, and I just thought she’d be an amazing speaker and we’d be honored to have her at BCC,” the group’s vice president said.

In video after video, they made the ask. Bleachers full of cheering students, sports teams and even a choir singing Obama’s name all pled for her to speak at their graduation.

Obama clearly heard their plea, and recorded a special video address for the Class of 2026.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School played that video on the big screen during the June 1 graduation ceremony.

“We need your heart, your ideas, your optimism more than ever,” Obama told the students in her speech. “Because participation in our democracy is the only way to build a community and a country that reflects who you are and what you. I have no doubt that if you all are leading the way in the years ahead, we’re going to be just fine.”

Montgomery County Jun 3

Michelle Obama addresses Maryland high school grads after students' viral campaign

Michelle Obama Dec 10, 2025

Who gives BCC High School seniors hope? Michelle Obama.

Montgomery County Dec 11, 2025

Michelle Obama for graduation speaker? Maryland students make all-out push online

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

A Maryland high school senior class learned that consistency, community and asking for what you want can get you far in life.

In December, News4 told you about the viral social media campaign Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School launched to get former first lady Michelle Obama to give their commencement address.

That campaign worked, and at graduation on Monday, students saw their efforts pay off.

The viral campaign started when students, daydreaming about possible speakers at a Class of 2026 student government association meeting, thought of Obama.

“I’d watched her documentary ‘Becoming’ on Netflix and, you know, we grew up with her — her being a great speaker, her really emphasizing youth voices, and I just thought she’d be an amazing speaker and we’d be honored to have her at BCC,” the group’s vice president said.

In video after video, they made the ask. Bleachers full of cheering students, sports teams and even a choir singing Obama’s name all pled for her to speak at their graduation.

Obama clearly heard their plea, and recorded a special video address for the Class of 2026.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School played that video on the big screen during the June 1 graduation ceremony.

“We need your heart, your ideas, your optimism more than ever,” Obama told the students in her speech. “Because participation in our democracy is the only way to build a community and a country that reflects who you are and what you. I have no doubt that if you all are leading the way in the years ahead, we’re going to be just fine.”

Montgomery County Jun 3

Michelle Obama addresses Maryland high school grads after students' viral campaign

Michelle Obama Dec 10, 2025

Who gives BCC High School seniors hope? Michelle Obama.

Montgomery County Dec 11, 2025

Michelle Obama for graduation speaker? Maryland students make all-out push online

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

A Maryland high school senior class learned that consistency, community and asking for what you want can get you far in life.

In December, News4 told you about the viral social media campaign Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School launched to get former first lady Michelle Obama to give their commencement address.

That campaign worked, and at graduation on Monday, students saw their efforts pay off.

The viral campaign started when students, daydreaming about possible speakers at a Class of 2026 student government association meeting, thought of Obama.

“I’d watched her documentary ‘Becoming’ on Netflix and, you know, we grew up with her — her being a great speaker, her really emphasizing youth voices, and I just thought she’d be an amazing speaker and we’d be honored to have her at BCC,” the group’s vice president said.

In video after video, they made the ask. Bleachers full of cheering students, sports teams and even a choir singing Obama’s name all pled for her to speak at their graduation.

Obama clearly heard their plea, and recorded a special video address for the Class of 2026.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School played that video on the big screen during the June 1 graduation ceremony.

“We need your heart, your ideas, your optimism more than ever,” Obama told the students in her speech. “Because participation in our democracy is the only way to build a community and a country that reflects who you are and what you. I have no doubt that if you all are leading the way in the years ahead, we’re going to be just fine.”

Montgomery County Jun 3

Michelle Obama addresses Maryland high school grads after students' viral campaign

Michelle Obama Dec 10, 2025

Who gives BCC High School seniors hope? Michelle Obama.

Montgomery County Dec 11, 2025

Michelle Obama for graduation speaker? Maryland students make all-out push online

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

A Maryland high school senior class learned that consistency, community and asking for what you want can get you far in life.

In December, News4 told you about the viral social media campaign Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School launched to get former first lady Michelle Obama to give their commencement address.

That campaign worked, and at graduation on Monday, students saw their efforts pay off.

The viral campaign started when students, daydreaming about possible speakers at a Class of 2026 student government association meeting, thought of Obama.

“I’d watched her documentary ‘Becoming’ on Netflix and, you know, we grew up with her — her being a great speaker, her really emphasizing youth voices, and I just thought she’d be an amazing speaker and we’d be honored to have her at BCC,” the group’s vice president said.

In video after video, they made the ask. Bleachers full of cheering students, sports teams and even a choir singing Obama’s name all pled for her to speak at their graduation.

Obama clearly heard their plea, and recorded a special video address for the Class of 2026.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School played that video on the big screen during the June 1 graduation ceremony.

“We need your heart, your ideas, your optimism more than ever,” Obama told the students in her speech. “Because participation in our democracy is the only way to build a community and a country that reflects who you are and what you. I have no doubt that if you all are leading the way in the years ahead, we’re going to be just fine.”

Montgomery County Jun 3

Michelle Obama addresses Maryland high school grads after students' viral campaign

Michelle Obama Dec 10, 2025

Who gives BCC High School seniors hope? Michelle Obama.

Montgomery County Dec 11, 2025

Michelle Obama for graduation speaker? Maryland students make all-out push online

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The Brandon Aiyuk situation took another unfortunate turn.

A warrant for the 49ers wide receiver’s arrest has been issued in Northern California, The California Post reported Wednesday, which the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed and was obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Aiyuk is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed for a video he posted on his YouTube channel in December that appeared to show him driving past Levi’s Stadium at speeds of over 100 mph.

The video initially went viral on social media, which led Aiyuk to apologize for the incident.

The Santa Clara Police Department initially stated it was “aware” of the video and would review it, and it appears they have decided to take action.

San Francisco, from president of football operations/general manager John Lynch to coach Kyle Shanahan, has remained firm with its intention to move on from Aiyuk this offseason, either via trade — which it would prefer to do, but doesn’t seem likely — or a post-June 1 release, which could clear around $20 million in salary cap space after Aiyuk had his contract guarantees voided last season for infractions last summer.

It seems the 49ers have not had any communication with Aiyuk for months, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 28 that teams potentially interested in acquiring the wide receiver also have struggled to get in contact with him this offseason.

The latest development certainly could further complicate an already difficult situation.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The Brandon Aiyuk situation took another unfortunate turn.

A warrant for the 49ers wide receiver’s arrest has been issued in Northern California, The California Post reported Wednesday, which the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed and was obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Aiyuk is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed for a video he posted on his YouTube channel in December that appeared to show him driving past Levi’s Stadium at speeds of over 100 mph.

The video initially went viral on social media, which led Aiyuk to apologize for the incident.

The Santa Clara Police Department initially stated it was “aware” of the video and would review it, and it appears they have decided to take action.

San Francisco, from president of football operations/general manager John Lynch to coach Kyle Shanahan, has remained firm with its intention to move on from Aiyuk this offseason, either via trade — which it would prefer to do, but doesn’t seem likely — or a post-June 1 release, which could clear around $20 million in salary cap space after Aiyuk had his contract guarantees voided last season for infractions last summer.

It seems the 49ers have not had any communication with Aiyuk for months, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 28 that teams potentially interested in acquiring the wide receiver also have struggled to get in contact with him this offseason.

The latest development certainly could further complicate an already difficult situation.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The Brandon Aiyuk situation took another unfortunate turn.

A warrant for the 49ers wide receiver’s arrest has been issued in Northern California, The California Post reported Wednesday, which the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed and was obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Aiyuk is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed for a video he posted on his YouTube channel in December that appeared to show him driving past Levi’s Stadium at speeds of over 100 mph.

The video initially went viral on social media, which led Aiyuk to apologize for the incident.

The Santa Clara Police Department initially stated it was “aware” of the video and would review it, and it appears they have decided to take action.

San Francisco, from president of football operations/general manager John Lynch to coach Kyle Shanahan, has remained firm with its intention to move on from Aiyuk this offseason, either via trade — which it would prefer to do, but doesn’t seem likely — or a post-June 1 release, which could clear around $20 million in salary cap space after Aiyuk had his contract guarantees voided last season for infractions last summer.

It seems the 49ers have not had any communication with Aiyuk for months, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 28 that teams potentially interested in acquiring the wide receiver also have struggled to get in contact with him this offseason.

The latest development certainly could further complicate an already difficult situation.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The Brandon Aiyuk situation took another unfortunate turn.

A warrant for the 49ers wide receiver’s arrest has been issued in Northern California, The California Post reported Wednesday, which the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed and was obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Aiyuk is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed for a video he posted on his YouTube channel in December that appeared to show him driving past Levi’s Stadium at speeds of over 100 mph.

The video initially went viral on social media, which led Aiyuk to apologize for the incident.

The Santa Clara Police Department initially stated it was “aware” of the video and would review it, and it appears they have decided to take action.

San Francisco, from president of football operations/general manager John Lynch to coach Kyle Shanahan, has remained firm with its intention to move on from Aiyuk this offseason, either via trade — which it would prefer to do, but doesn’t seem likely — or a post-June 1 release, which could clear around $20 million in salary cap space after Aiyuk had his contract guarantees voided last season for infractions last summer.

It seems the 49ers have not had any communication with Aiyuk for months, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 28 that teams potentially interested in acquiring the wide receiver also have struggled to get in contact with him this offseason.

The latest development certainly could further complicate an already difficult situation.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The Brandon Aiyuk situation took another unfortunate turn.

A warrant for the 49ers wide receiver’s arrest has been issued in Northern California, The California Post reported Wednesday, which the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed and was obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Aiyuk is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed for a video he posted on his YouTube channel in December that appeared to show him driving past Levi’s Stadium at speeds of over 100 mph.

The video initially went viral on social media, which led Aiyuk to apologize for the incident.

The Santa Clara Police Department initially stated it was “aware” of the video and would review it, and it appears they have decided to take action.

San Francisco, from president of football operations/general manager John Lynch to coach Kyle Shanahan, has remained firm with its intention to move on from Aiyuk this offseason, either via trade — which it would prefer to do, but doesn’t seem likely — or a post-June 1 release, which could clear around $20 million in salary cap space after Aiyuk had his contract guarantees voided last season for infractions last summer.

It seems the 49ers have not had any communication with Aiyuk for months, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 28 that teams potentially interested in acquiring the wide receiver also have struggled to get in contact with him this offseason.

The latest development certainly could further complicate an already difficult situation.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The Brandon Aiyuk situation took another unfortunate turn.

A warrant for the 49ers wide receiver’s arrest has been issued in Northern California, The California Post reported Wednesday, which the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed and was obtained by NBC Bay Area.

Aiyuk is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed for a video he posted on his YouTube channel in December that appeared to show him driving past Levi’s Stadium at speeds of over 100 mph.

The video initially went viral on social media, which led Aiyuk to apologize for the incident.

The Santa Clara Police Department initially stated it was “aware” of the video and would review it, and it appears they have decided to take action.

San Francisco, from president of football operations/general manager John Lynch to coach Kyle Shanahan, has remained firm with its intention to move on from Aiyuk this offseason, either via trade — which it would prefer to do, but doesn’t seem likely — or a post-June 1 release, which could clear around $20 million in salary cap space after Aiyuk had his contract guarantees voided last season for infractions last summer.

It seems the 49ers have not had any communication with Aiyuk for months, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 28 that teams potentially interested in acquiring the wide receiver also have struggled to get in contact with him this offseason.

The latest development certainly could further complicate an already difficult situation.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Construction has been ongoing at D.C.’s old Barry Farm community for several years now, and you can see how things are taking shape. 

A groundbreaking was held Wednesday morning for the latest phase of redevelopment. District leaders and a few former Barry Farm residents broke ground on Hillsdale Flats, an affordable housing development that will bring a total of 90 townhome-style apartments to the area.

This is the latest project in a much larger redevelopment plan for of the area. The land, off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C.,  has a rich history within the African American community.

Formerly enslaved people built the first homes here after the Civil War, and a thriving community emerged. In the 1940s, a public housing development called the Barry Farm Dwellings was built there, and generations of D.C. residents called the neighborhood home.

But over the years, the dwellings fell into disrepair. They were torn down in 2019 to make way for this new development, but there has been a real effort to incorporate the neighborhood’s history and character into what comes next.

Former Barry Farm residents will get priority leasing for 42 of the 90 units in Hillsdale Flats. There will be a total of 380 so-called replacement units for former residents across the larger development.

Vernell Powell grew up in Barry Farm. He’s a member of famous go-go band The Junkyard Band, which got its start in the neighborhood. Powell plans to be among the first tenants of Hillsdale Flats.

“We got what we got, so we’re going to make the best of it and bring the identity back,” he said. “Barry Farm will be coming back. Barry Farm, it will just have a new look; that’s all.”

Hillsdale Flats is expected to open in December 2027. 

Other phases of redevelopment are also happening on the Barry Farm site. One of the buildings has already opened; another is under construction.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Construction has been ongoing at D.C.’s old Barry Farm community for several years now, and you can see how things are taking shape. 

A groundbreaking was held Wednesday morning for the latest phase of redevelopment. District leaders and a few former Barry Farm residents broke ground on Hillsdale Flats, an affordable housing development that will bring a total of 90 townhome-style apartments to the area.

This is the latest project in a much larger redevelopment plan for of the area. The land, off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C.,  has a rich history within the African American community.

Formerly enslaved people built the first homes here after the Civil War, and a thriving community emerged. In the 1940s, a public housing development called the Barry Farm Dwellings was built there, and generations of D.C. residents called the neighborhood home.

But over the years, the dwellings fell into disrepair. They were torn down in 2019 to make way for this new development, but there has been a real effort to incorporate the neighborhood’s history and character into what comes next.

Former Barry Farm residents will get priority leasing for 42 of the 90 units in Hillsdale Flats. There will be a total of 380 so-called replacement units for former residents across the larger development.

Vernell Powell grew up in Barry Farm. He’s a member of famous go-go band The Junkyard Band, which got its start in the neighborhood. Powell plans to be among the first tenants of Hillsdale Flats.

“We got what we got, so we’re going to make the best of it and bring the identity back,” he said. “Barry Farm will be coming back. Barry Farm, it will just have a new look; that’s all.”

Hillsdale Flats is expected to open in December 2027. 

Other phases of redevelopment are also happening on the Barry Farm site. One of the buildings has already opened; another is under construction.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Construction has been ongoing at D.C.’s old Barry Farm community for several years now, and you can see how things are taking shape. 

A groundbreaking was held Wednesday morning for the latest phase of redevelopment. District leaders and a few former Barry Farm residents broke ground on Hillsdale Flats, an affordable housing development that will bring a total of 90 townhome-style apartments to the area.

This is the latest project in a much larger redevelopment plan for of the area. The land, off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C.,  has a rich history within the African American community.

Formerly enslaved people built the first homes here after the Civil War, and a thriving community emerged. In the 1940s, a public housing development called the Barry Farm Dwellings was built there, and generations of D.C. residents called the neighborhood home.

But over the years, the dwellings fell into disrepair. They were torn down in 2019 to make way for this new development, but there has been a real effort to incorporate the neighborhood’s history and character into what comes next.

Former Barry Farm residents will get priority leasing for 42 of the 90 units in Hillsdale Flats. There will be a total of 380 so-called replacement units for former residents across the larger development.

Vernell Powell grew up in Barry Farm. He’s a member of famous go-go band The Junkyard Band, which got its start in the neighborhood. Powell plans to be among the first tenants of Hillsdale Flats.

“We got what we got, so we’re going to make the best of it and bring the identity back,” he said. “Barry Farm will be coming back. Barry Farm, it will just have a new look; that’s all.”

Hillsdale Flats is expected to open in December 2027. 

Other phases of redevelopment are also happening on the Barry Farm site. One of the buildings has already opened; another is under construction.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Construction has been ongoing at D.C.’s old Barry Farm community for several years now, and you can see how things are taking shape. 

A groundbreaking was held Wednesday morning for the latest phase of redevelopment. District leaders and a few former Barry Farm residents broke ground on Hillsdale Flats, an affordable housing development that will bring a total of 90 townhome-style apartments to the area.

This is the latest project in a much larger redevelopment plan for of the area. The land, off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C.,  has a rich history within the African American community.

Formerly enslaved people built the first homes here after the Civil War, and a thriving community emerged. In the 1940s, a public housing development called the Barry Farm Dwellings was built there, and generations of D.C. residents called the neighborhood home.

But over the years, the dwellings fell into disrepair. They were torn down in 2019 to make way for this new development, but there has been a real effort to incorporate the neighborhood’s history and character into what comes next.

Former Barry Farm residents will get priority leasing for 42 of the 90 units in Hillsdale Flats. There will be a total of 380 so-called replacement units for former residents across the larger development.

Vernell Powell grew up in Barry Farm. He’s a member of famous go-go band The Junkyard Band, which got its start in the neighborhood. Powell plans to be among the first tenants of Hillsdale Flats.

“We got what we got, so we’re going to make the best of it and bring the identity back,” he said. “Barry Farm will be coming back. Barry Farm, it will just have a new look; that’s all.”

Hillsdale Flats is expected to open in December 2027. 

Other phases of redevelopment are also happening on the Barry Farm site. One of the buildings has already opened; another is under construction.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Construction has been ongoing at D.C.’s old Barry Farm community for several years now, and you can see how things are taking shape. 

A groundbreaking was held Wednesday morning for the latest phase of redevelopment. District leaders and a few former Barry Farm residents broke ground on Hillsdale Flats, an affordable housing development that will bring a total of 90 townhome-style apartments to the area.

This is the latest project in a much larger redevelopment plan for of the area. The land, off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C.,  has a rich history within the African American community.

Formerly enslaved people built the first homes here after the Civil War, and a thriving community emerged. In the 1940s, a public housing development called the Barry Farm Dwellings was built there, and generations of D.C. residents called the neighborhood home.

But over the years, the dwellings fell into disrepair. They were torn down in 2019 to make way for this new development, but there has been a real effort to incorporate the neighborhood’s history and character into what comes next.

Former Barry Farm residents will get priority leasing for 42 of the 90 units in Hillsdale Flats. There will be a total of 380 so-called replacement units for former residents across the larger development.

Vernell Powell grew up in Barry Farm. He’s a member of famous go-go band The Junkyard Band, which got its start in the neighborhood. Powell plans to be among the first tenants of Hillsdale Flats.

“We got what we got, so we’re going to make the best of it and bring the identity back,” he said. “Barry Farm will be coming back. Barry Farm, it will just have a new look; that’s all.”

Hillsdale Flats is expected to open in December 2027. 

Other phases of redevelopment are also happening on the Barry Farm site. One of the buildings has already opened; another is under construction.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Construction has been ongoing at D.C.’s old Barry Farm community for several years now, and you can see how things are taking shape. 

A groundbreaking was held Wednesday morning for the latest phase of redevelopment. District leaders and a few former Barry Farm residents broke ground on Hillsdale Flats, an affordable housing development that will bring a total of 90 townhome-style apartments to the area.

This is the latest project in a much larger redevelopment plan for of the area. The land, off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C.,  has a rich history within the African American community.

Formerly enslaved people built the first homes here after the Civil War, and a thriving community emerged. In the 1940s, a public housing development called the Barry Farm Dwellings was built there, and generations of D.C. residents called the neighborhood home.

But over the years, the dwellings fell into disrepair. They were torn down in 2019 to make way for this new development, but there has been a real effort to incorporate the neighborhood’s history and character into what comes next.

Former Barry Farm residents will get priority leasing for 42 of the 90 units in Hillsdale Flats. There will be a total of 380 so-called replacement units for former residents across the larger development.

Vernell Powell grew up in Barry Farm. He’s a member of famous go-go band The Junkyard Band, which got its start in the neighborhood. Powell plans to be among the first tenants of Hillsdale Flats.

“We got what we got, so we’re going to make the best of it and bring the identity back,” he said. “Barry Farm will be coming back. Barry Farm, it will just have a new look; that’s all.”

Hillsdale Flats is expected to open in December 2027. 

Other phases of redevelopment are also happening on the Barry Farm site. One of the buildings has already opened; another is under construction.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

The man suspected of shooting a woman in a Maryland driveway Tuesday morning, leaving her in critical condition, has been found dead in South Carolina.

Prince George’s County police say the suspect, 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was found dead Tuesday evening. Morris and the victim had been in a relationship previously, police said.

The victim was shot multiple times, including in the head, about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police say she was shot in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

The victim was found outside and was rushed to a hospital. She remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said Wednesday.

Prince George’s County detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Morris based on a preliminary investigation, police said. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Authorities did not immediately provide more information on the circumstances of Morris’ death but said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

“When I came back today at 7:30, then I seen the tape, ‘Oh something happened,'” one neighbor said Tuesday. “When you see tape, it’s not good.”

Residents say the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood. They describe the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she can’t remember something like this happening before.

“Well, I’m just baffled,” the neighbor said. “I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of.”

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators were going door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

The man suspected of shooting a woman in a Maryland driveway Tuesday morning, leaving her in critical condition, has been found dead in South Carolina.

Prince George’s County police say the suspect, 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was found dead Tuesday evening. Morris and the victim had been in a relationship previously, police said.

The victim was shot multiple times, including in the head, about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police say she was shot in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

The victim was found outside and was rushed to a hospital. She remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said Wednesday.

Prince George’s County detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Morris based on a preliminary investigation, police said. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Authorities did not immediately provide more information on the circumstances of Morris’ death but said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

“When I came back today at 7:30, then I seen the tape, ‘Oh something happened,'” one neighbor said Tuesday. “When you see tape, it’s not good.”

Residents say the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood. They describe the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she can’t remember something like this happening before.

“Well, I’m just baffled,” the neighbor said. “I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of.”

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators were going door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

The man suspected of shooting a woman in a Maryland driveway Tuesday morning, leaving her in critical condition, has been found dead in South Carolina.

Prince George’s County police say the suspect, 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was found dead Tuesday evening. Morris and the victim had been in a relationship previously, police said.

The victim was shot multiple times, including in the head, about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police say she was shot in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

The victim was found outside and was rushed to a hospital. She remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said Wednesday.

Prince George’s County detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Morris based on a preliminary investigation, police said. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Authorities did not immediately provide more information on the circumstances of Morris’ death but said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

“When I came back today at 7:30, then I seen the tape, ‘Oh something happened,'” one neighbor said Tuesday. “When you see tape, it’s not good.”

Residents say the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood. They describe the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she can’t remember something like this happening before.

“Well, I’m just baffled,” the neighbor said. “I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of.”

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators were going door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

The man suspected of shooting a woman in a Maryland driveway Tuesday morning, leaving her in critical condition, has been found dead in South Carolina.

Prince George’s County police say the suspect, 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was found dead Tuesday evening. Morris and the victim had been in a relationship previously, police said.

The victim was shot multiple times, including in the head, about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police say she was shot in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

The victim was found outside and was rushed to a hospital. She remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said Wednesday.

Prince George’s County detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Morris based on a preliminary investigation, police said. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Authorities did not immediately provide more information on the circumstances of Morris’ death but said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

“When I came back today at 7:30, then I seen the tape, ‘Oh something happened,'” one neighbor said Tuesday. “When you see tape, it’s not good.”

Residents say the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood. They describe the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she can’t remember something like this happening before.

“Well, I’m just baffled,” the neighbor said. “I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of.”

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators were going door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

The man suspected of shooting a woman in a Maryland driveway Tuesday morning, leaving her in critical condition, has been found dead in South Carolina.

Prince George’s County police say the suspect, 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was found dead Tuesday evening. Morris and the victim had been in a relationship previously, police said.

The victim was shot multiple times, including in the head, about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police say she was shot in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

The victim was found outside and was rushed to a hospital. She remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said Wednesday.

Prince George’s County detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Morris based on a preliminary investigation, police said. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Authorities did not immediately provide more information on the circumstances of Morris’ death but said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

“When I came back today at 7:30, then I seen the tape, ‘Oh something happened,'” one neighbor said Tuesday. “When you see tape, it’s not good.”

Residents say the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood. They describe the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she can’t remember something like this happening before.

“Well, I’m just baffled,” the neighbor said. “I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of.”

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators were going door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

The man suspected of shooting a woman in a Maryland driveway Tuesday morning, leaving her in critical condition, has been found dead in South Carolina.

Prince George’s County police say the suspect, 30-year-old Dante Morris of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was found dead Tuesday evening. Morris and the victim had been in a relationship previously, police said.

The victim was shot multiple times, including in the head, about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police say she was shot in a driveway in the 10400 block of Birdie Lane in Upper Marlboro.

News4 obtained video taken from a doorbell camera in which about eight gunshots can be heard. A dispatcher on a 911 call said she had a “head wound” and had “two bullet wounds and one to the head.”

The victim was found outside and was rushed to a hospital. She remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said Wednesday.

Prince George’s County detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Morris based on a preliminary investigation, police said. Morris had driven back home to South Carolina after the shooting, they said.

Authorities did not immediately provide more information on the circumstances of Morris’ death but said they appreciated the assistance of the York County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiator Unit, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Laurel Jun 2

Stolen again: UMD grad's Camaro taken in Beltsville disappears from dealership

Prince George's County May 25

2 shot during online marketplace transaction in Laurel

On Tuesday, crime scene evidence markers could be seen on the Upper Marlboro driveway, with some of them set up near shell casings.

“When I came back today at 7:30, then I seen the tape, ‘Oh something happened,'” one neighbor said Tuesday. “When you see tape, it’s not good.”

Residents say the sight of police cruisers and crime tape blocking off streets is not something that they see often in their neighborhood. They describe the Somerset Square community as extremely quiet.

One longtime resident said she can’t remember something like this happening before.

“Well, I’m just baffled,” the neighbor said. “I’ve lived here for 31 years and we’ve just never had any incidents of violence in this neighborhood and community that I’m aware of.”

Another neighbor said they’ve lived there for decades and don’t remember there ever being a call to their community like this.

“Not even fighting. It’s been quiet. It’s unusual,” a neighbor said.

Many neighbors said they heard the shots. Some said they saw the victim in the driveway and described a vehicle driving away.

Investigators were going door to door, asking neighbors if they had information or if they saw anything that could have led to the shooting.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 301-516-2512. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may content Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, via the P3 Tips app or by calling 866-411-TIPS (8477).

D.C. public charter school families are calling for equal treatment for their students, who make up almost half the public school students in Washington, saying the mayor’s spending plan shortchanges their kids.

Dressed in blue shirts, parents and students with the DC Charter School Alliance packed the D.C. Council committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, urging the Council to correct an issue they say will lead to unequal funding for charter school students.

Funding for DCPS and public charter schools is calculated using what is called the “uniform per student funding formula” to make sure funding levels are equal. This year, Mayor Muriel Bowser set aside millions more for DCPS outside of that formula in another part of the budget.

“She funded two important initiatives for DCPS outside the formula, and that’s what has the charter sector upset, rightfully upset,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Bowser budgeted about $85 million for DCPS outside the formula, Mendelson said: $60 million for facility maintenance and $25 million for teacher pay.

“I was shocked this cycle to learn that D.C. government isn’t funding the public schools equally,” parent Devin Lambert said. “That is just absolutely insane to me.”

“This is not a charter school versus public school issue,” said Brandon Woods of the board of directors for KIPP DC, which runs about 20 charter schools in the city. “This is a fairness issue.”

About 130 public charter schools serve 48,000 students, which makes up about half of all students in the city, according to the DC Charter School Alliance.

Executive Director Ariel Johnson says giving DCPS the extra $85 million puts charter schools at a disadvantage. The extra money would equate to about $2,000 per student if they were given the same funding, according to the Alliance.

“We don’t have access to the capital budget, so when you move money around to these other categories, it means that charter schools have to figure out ways to fund their operations,” Johnson said.

“It seems like the mayor is making a haphazard decision, as far as our kids, especially with our tax dollars,” parent Andrea Tucker said.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education provided a statement saying, “The proposed budget provides $1.45 billion for public charter schools, an increase of $52.6 million over FY26, and maintains more than $187 million in facilities funding for public charter schools.”

Council votes on the budget next week.

“I do not know that we would be able to put the $85 million back into the formula,” Mendelson said. “I don’t like the policy choice the mayor made, but to be able to fully correct it is very costly.”

Mendelson is expected to make his budget recommendations Monday. The Council is set to vote on the budget Tuesday.

News4 reached back out to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education to ask why the mayor included the extra money for DCPS but has not heard back.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

D.C. public charter school families are calling for equal treatment for their students, who make up almost half the public school students in Washington, saying the mayor’s spending plan shortchanges their kids.

Dressed in blue shirts, parents and students with the DC Charter School Alliance packed the D.C. Council committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, urging the Council to correct an issue they say will lead to unequal funding for charter school students.

Funding for DCPS and public charter schools is calculated using what is called the “uniform per student funding formula” to make sure funding levels are equal. This year, Mayor Muriel Bowser set aside millions more for DCPS outside of that formula in another part of the budget.

“She funded two important initiatives for DCPS outside the formula, and that’s what has the charter sector upset, rightfully upset,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Bowser budgeted about $85 million for DCPS outside the formula, Mendelson said: $60 million for facility maintenance and $25 million for teacher pay.

“I was shocked this cycle to learn that D.C. government isn’t funding the public schools equally,” parent Devin Lambert said. “That is just absolutely insane to me.”

“This is not a charter school versus public school issue,” said Brandon Woods of the board of directors for KIPP DC, which runs about 20 charter schools in the city. “This is a fairness issue.”

About 130 public charter schools serve 48,000 students, which makes up about half of all students in the city, according to the DC Charter School Alliance.

Executive Director Ariel Johnson says giving DCPS the extra $85 million puts charter schools at a disadvantage. The extra money would equate to about $2,000 per student if they were given the same funding, according to the Alliance.

“We don’t have access to the capital budget, so when you move money around to these other categories, it means that charter schools have to figure out ways to fund their operations,” Johnson said.

“It seems like the mayor is making a haphazard decision, as far as our kids, especially with our tax dollars,” parent Andrea Tucker said.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education provided a statement saying, “The proposed budget provides $1.45 billion for public charter schools, an increase of $52.6 million over FY26, and maintains more than $187 million in facilities funding for public charter schools.”

Council votes on the budget next week.

“I do not know that we would be able to put the $85 million back into the formula,” Mendelson said. “I don’t like the policy choice the mayor made, but to be able to fully correct it is very costly.”

Mendelson is expected to make his budget recommendations Monday. The Council is set to vote on the budget Tuesday.

News4 reached back out to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education to ask why the mayor included the extra money for DCPS but has not heard back.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

D.C. public charter school families are calling for equal treatment for their students, who make up almost half the public school students in Washington, saying the mayor’s spending plan shortchanges their kids.

Dressed in blue shirts, parents and students with the DC Charter School Alliance packed the D.C. Council committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, urging the Council to correct an issue they say will lead to unequal funding for charter school students.

Funding for DCPS and public charter schools is calculated using what is called the “uniform per student funding formula” to make sure funding levels are equal. This year, Mayor Muriel Bowser set aside millions more for DCPS outside of that formula in another part of the budget.

“She funded two important initiatives for DCPS outside the formula, and that’s what has the charter sector upset, rightfully upset,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Bowser budgeted about $85 million for DCPS outside the formula, Mendelson said: $60 million for facility maintenance and $25 million for teacher pay.

“I was shocked this cycle to learn that D.C. government isn’t funding the public schools equally,” parent Devin Lambert said. “That is just absolutely insane to me.”

“This is not a charter school versus public school issue,” said Brandon Woods of the board of directors for KIPP DC, which runs about 20 charter schools in the city. “This is a fairness issue.”

About 130 public charter schools serve 48,000 students, which makes up about half of all students in the city, according to the DC Charter School Alliance.

Executive Director Ariel Johnson says giving DCPS the extra $85 million puts charter schools at a disadvantage. The extra money would equate to about $2,000 per student if they were given the same funding, according to the Alliance.

“We don’t have access to the capital budget, so when you move money around to these other categories, it means that charter schools have to figure out ways to fund their operations,” Johnson said.

“It seems like the mayor is making a haphazard decision, as far as our kids, especially with our tax dollars,” parent Andrea Tucker said.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education provided a statement saying, “The proposed budget provides $1.45 billion for public charter schools, an increase of $52.6 million over FY26, and maintains more than $187 million in facilities funding for public charter schools.”

Council votes on the budget next week.

“I do not know that we would be able to put the $85 million back into the formula,” Mendelson said. “I don’t like the policy choice the mayor made, but to be able to fully correct it is very costly.”

Mendelson is expected to make his budget recommendations Monday. The Council is set to vote on the budget Tuesday.

News4 reached back out to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education to ask why the mayor included the extra money for DCPS but has not heard back.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

D.C. public charter school families are calling for equal treatment for their students, who make up almost half the public school students in Washington, saying the mayor’s spending plan shortchanges their kids.

Dressed in blue shirts, parents and students with the DC Charter School Alliance packed the D.C. Council committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, urging the Council to correct an issue they say will lead to unequal funding for charter school students.

Funding for DCPS and public charter schools is calculated using what is called the “uniform per student funding formula” to make sure funding levels are equal. This year, Mayor Muriel Bowser set aside millions more for DCPS outside of that formula in another part of the budget.

“She funded two important initiatives for DCPS outside the formula, and that’s what has the charter sector upset, rightfully upset,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Bowser budgeted about $85 million for DCPS outside the formula, Mendelson said: $60 million for facility maintenance and $25 million for teacher pay.

“I was shocked this cycle to learn that D.C. government isn’t funding the public schools equally,” parent Devin Lambert said. “That is just absolutely insane to me.”

“This is not a charter school versus public school issue,” said Brandon Woods of the board of directors for KIPP DC, which runs about 20 charter schools in the city. “This is a fairness issue.”

About 130 public charter schools serve 48,000 students, which makes up about half of all students in the city, according to the DC Charter School Alliance.

Executive Director Ariel Johnson says giving DCPS the extra $85 million puts charter schools at a disadvantage. The extra money would equate to about $2,000 per student if they were given the same funding, according to the Alliance.

“We don’t have access to the capital budget, so when you move money around to these other categories, it means that charter schools have to figure out ways to fund their operations,” Johnson said.

“It seems like the mayor is making a haphazard decision, as far as our kids, especially with our tax dollars,” parent Andrea Tucker said.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education provided a statement saying, “The proposed budget provides $1.45 billion for public charter schools, an increase of $52.6 million over FY26, and maintains more than $187 million in facilities funding for public charter schools.”

Council votes on the budget next week.

“I do not know that we would be able to put the $85 million back into the formula,” Mendelson said. “I don’t like the policy choice the mayor made, but to be able to fully correct it is very costly.”

Mendelson is expected to make his budget recommendations Monday. The Council is set to vote on the budget Tuesday.

News4 reached back out to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education to ask why the mayor included the extra money for DCPS but has not heard back.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

D.C. public charter school families are calling for equal treatment for their students, who make up almost half the public school students in Washington, saying the mayor’s spending plan shortchanges their kids.

Dressed in blue shirts, parents and students with the DC Charter School Alliance packed the D.C. Council committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, urging the Council to correct an issue they say will lead to unequal funding for charter school students.

Funding for DCPS and public charter schools is calculated using what is called the “uniform per student funding formula” to make sure funding levels are equal. This year, Mayor Muriel Bowser set aside millions more for DCPS outside of that formula in another part of the budget.

“She funded two important initiatives for DCPS outside the formula, and that’s what has the charter sector upset, rightfully upset,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Bowser budgeted about $85 million for DCPS outside the formula, Mendelson said: $60 million for facility maintenance and $25 million for teacher pay.

“I was shocked this cycle to learn that D.C. government isn’t funding the public schools equally,” parent Devin Lambert said. “That is just absolutely insane to me.”

“This is not a charter school versus public school issue,” said Brandon Woods of the board of directors for KIPP DC, which runs about 20 charter schools in the city. “This is a fairness issue.”

About 130 public charter schools serve 48,000 students, which makes up about half of all students in the city, according to the DC Charter School Alliance.

Executive Director Ariel Johnson says giving DCPS the extra $85 million puts charter schools at a disadvantage. The extra money would equate to about $2,000 per student if they were given the same funding, according to the Alliance.

“We don’t have access to the capital budget, so when you move money around to these other categories, it means that charter schools have to figure out ways to fund their operations,” Johnson said.

“It seems like the mayor is making a haphazard decision, as far as our kids, especially with our tax dollars,” parent Andrea Tucker said.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education provided a statement saying, “The proposed budget provides $1.45 billion for public charter schools, an increase of $52.6 million over FY26, and maintains more than $187 million in facilities funding for public charter schools.”

Council votes on the budget next week.

“I do not know that we would be able to put the $85 million back into the formula,” Mendelson said. “I don’t like the policy choice the mayor made, but to be able to fully correct it is very costly.”

Mendelson is expected to make his budget recommendations Monday. The Council is set to vote on the budget Tuesday.

News4 reached back out to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education to ask why the mayor included the extra money for DCPS but has not heard back.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

D.C. public charter school families are calling for equal treatment for their students, who make up almost half the public school students in Washington, saying the mayor’s spending plan shortchanges their kids.

Dressed in blue shirts, parents and students with the DC Charter School Alliance packed the D.C. Council committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, urging the Council to correct an issue they say will lead to unequal funding for charter school students.

Funding for DCPS and public charter schools is calculated using what is called the “uniform per student funding formula” to make sure funding levels are equal. This year, Mayor Muriel Bowser set aside millions more for DCPS outside of that formula in another part of the budget.

“She funded two important initiatives for DCPS outside the formula, and that’s what has the charter sector upset, rightfully upset,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Bowser budgeted about $85 million for DCPS outside the formula, Mendelson said: $60 million for facility maintenance and $25 million for teacher pay.

“I was shocked this cycle to learn that D.C. government isn’t funding the public schools equally,” parent Devin Lambert said. “That is just absolutely insane to me.”

“This is not a charter school versus public school issue,” said Brandon Woods of the board of directors for KIPP DC, which runs about 20 charter schools in the city. “This is a fairness issue.”

About 130 public charter schools serve 48,000 students, which makes up about half of all students in the city, according to the DC Charter School Alliance.

Executive Director Ariel Johnson says giving DCPS the extra $85 million puts charter schools at a disadvantage. The extra money would equate to about $2,000 per student if they were given the same funding, according to the Alliance.

“We don’t have access to the capital budget, so when you move money around to these other categories, it means that charter schools have to figure out ways to fund their operations,” Johnson said.

“It seems like the mayor is making a haphazard decision, as far as our kids, especially with our tax dollars,” parent Andrea Tucker said.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education provided a statement saying, “The proposed budget provides $1.45 billion for public charter schools, an increase of $52.6 million over FY26, and maintains more than $187 million in facilities funding for public charter schools.”

Council votes on the budget next week.

“I do not know that we would be able to put the $85 million back into the formula,” Mendelson said. “I don’t like the policy choice the mayor made, but to be able to fully correct it is very costly.”

Mendelson is expected to make his budget recommendations Monday. The Council is set to vote on the budget Tuesday.

News4 reached back out to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education to ask why the mayor included the extra money for DCPS but has not heard back.

Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.

Redevelopment at D.C.’s old St. Elizabeths Hospital campus has been underway for years. But some of the historic buildings — including the infamous Blackburn Laboratory, where the early techniques for lobotomies were developed — have remained untouched.

The 180-acre campus east of the Anacostia River is just as big as the RFK Stadium site but doesn’t get near as much public attention. Some of the St. Elizabeths campus has already been redeveloped, with the CareFirst Arena serving as an anchor.

Now, one by one, these once-beautiful brick buildings are being rehabilitated and repurposed.

“It is a massive undertaking, especially of the buildings that were constructed in the late 1800s,” said Latrena Owens, director of real estate for the D.C. Department of Planning and Economic Development.

Missed Part 1? See it here: Look inside DC’s long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Owens is overseeing the entire project for the D.C. government.

“This project is on the National Register. It was put there in 1990, so we are doing our best to preserve and integrate what’s old and new together for this community,” she said.

‘This architecture still kind of looks grand’

Sarah Leavitt, historian and author of “St Elizabeths in Washington, D.C.: Architecture of an Asylum,” believes the way the campus was built more than a century ago speaks to how important the government thought having a place to treat mental illness was back then.

“This architecture still kind of looks grand,” she said. “You can see the windows are giant. The roof — look at the way that the pediment of the roof sits. They were really trying to do something here with the architecture and say, ‘We find this important.’ Anytime you see architecture like this, you know somebody thought it was important to have a look, a feel for this campus that would be beneficial to the folks that worked and lived here.”

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

Brian Burke took News4 inside Building P, one of the structures his firm, the Menkiti Group, is repurposing.

“Our firm does a number of historic renovations, but these are by far the coolest buildings that we’ve been able to work on,” he said. “Just the history here and the enormity of these really, really impressive historic buildings is just a lot of fun to work with. There’s a lot to it. A lot goes into restoring these back to their original brilliance, but it’s a really fun challenge.”

This type of construction and architecture would be too expensive to do today, Burke said, but now these buildings that have been abandoned for years are being returned to the community.

“These two buildings are going to be programmed for nonprofit uses, mainly,” he said. “There will be some community-serving spaces, a community center; there will be workforce development areas, youth services and childcare. And then there’ll be some arts uses,” he said.

‘It truly gives you the chills’

The most infamous building on the campus is the Blackburn Laboratory, which News4 recently got to look inside. This was one of the most notorious laboratories in U.S. history, where the doctor who developed the “ice pick lobotomy” began his early research into mental illness. It took News4 more than a year to get permission to go inside.

Brian Butler’s firm, Atmos Solutions, is restoring Blackburn.

“When you’re walking around some of the building and you’re really seeing the history that was made here for the research that was done in this building and just having the opportunity, just picking up, and we looked at some stuff today as we picked things up off the ground, really what was involved in happening with all of those artifacts affected within the building,” Butler said. “It truly gives you the chills.”

The renovation of the Blackburn Building is going to be historic in a new way: It will be lifted up and moved closer to the road.

“The building itself is going to be one of the largest moves of anywhere in the country of moving a historical building like this. So a huge opportunity and difficulties at the same time,” Butler said.

“We have to effectively go underneath the building, jack it into the air and then slowly, almost like rail tracks, move the building over onto new foundations. The difficulty here is that the new foundations will have to be pouring them as the building are in the air, because the new foundations is going to go underneath the existing footprint,” he said. “So it’s really complex structural challenges ahead.”

It’s unclear whether the still-intact operating room will be preserved.

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Redevelopment at D.C.’s old St. Elizabeths Hospital campus has been underway for years. But some of the historic buildings — including the infamous Blackburn Laboratory, where the early techniques for lobotomies were developed — have remained untouched.

The 180-acre campus east of the Anacostia River is just as big as the RFK Stadium site but doesn’t get near as much public attention. Some of the St. Elizabeths campus has already been redeveloped, with the CareFirst Arena serving as an anchor.

Now, one by one, these once-beautiful brick buildings are being rehabilitated and repurposed.

“It is a massive undertaking, especially of the buildings that were constructed in the late 1800s,” said Latrena Owens, director of real estate for the D.C. Department of Planning and Economic Development.

Missed Part 1? See it here: Look inside DC’s long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Owens is overseeing the entire project for the D.C. government.

“This project is on the National Register. It was put there in 1990, so we are doing our best to preserve and integrate what’s old and new together for this community,” she said.

‘This architecture still kind of looks grand’

Sarah Leavitt, historian and author of “St Elizabeths in Washington, D.C.: Architecture of an Asylum,” believes the way the campus was built more than a century ago speaks to how important the government thought having a place to treat mental illness was back then.

“This architecture still kind of looks grand,” she said. “You can see the windows are giant. The roof — look at the way that the pediment of the roof sits. They were really trying to do something here with the architecture and say, ‘We find this important.’ Anytime you see architecture like this, you know somebody thought it was important to have a look, a feel for this campus that would be beneficial to the folks that worked and lived here.”

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

Brian Burke took News4 inside Building P, one of the structures his firm, the Menkiti Group, is repurposing.

“Our firm does a number of historic renovations, but these are by far the coolest buildings that we’ve been able to work on,” he said. “Just the history here and the enormity of these really, really impressive historic buildings is just a lot of fun to work with. There’s a lot to it. A lot goes into restoring these back to their original brilliance, but it’s a really fun challenge.”

This type of construction and architecture would be too expensive to do today, Burke said, but now these buildings that have been abandoned for years are being returned to the community.

“These two buildings are going to be programmed for nonprofit uses, mainly,” he said. “There will be some community-serving spaces, a community center; there will be workforce development areas, youth services and childcare. And then there’ll be some arts uses,” he said.

‘It truly gives you the chills’

The most infamous building on the campus is the Blackburn Laboratory, which News4 recently got to look inside. This was one of the most notorious laboratories in U.S. history, where the doctor who developed the “ice pick lobotomy” began his early research into mental illness. It took News4 more than a year to get permission to go inside.

Brian Butler’s firm, Atmos Solutions, is restoring Blackburn.

“When you’re walking around some of the building and you’re really seeing the history that was made here for the research that was done in this building and just having the opportunity, just picking up, and we looked at some stuff today as we picked things up off the ground, really what was involved in happening with all of those artifacts affected within the building,” Butler said. “It truly gives you the chills.”

The renovation of the Blackburn Building is going to be historic in a new way: It will be lifted up and moved closer to the road.

“The building itself is going to be one of the largest moves of anywhere in the country of moving a historical building like this. So a huge opportunity and difficulties at the same time,” Butler said.

“We have to effectively go underneath the building, jack it into the air and then slowly, almost like rail tracks, move the building over onto new foundations. The difficulty here is that the new foundations will have to be pouring them as the building are in the air, because the new foundations is going to go underneath the existing footprint,” he said. “So it’s really complex structural challenges ahead.”

It’s unclear whether the still-intact operating room will be preserved.

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Redevelopment at D.C.’s old St. Elizabeths Hospital campus has been underway for years. But some of the historic buildings — including the infamous Blackburn Laboratory, where the early techniques for lobotomies were developed — have remained untouched.

The 180-acre campus east of the Anacostia River is just as big as the RFK Stadium site but doesn’t get near as much public attention. Some of the St. Elizabeths campus has already been redeveloped, with the CareFirst Arena serving as an anchor.

Now, one by one, these once-beautiful brick buildings are being rehabilitated and repurposed.

“It is a massive undertaking, especially of the buildings that were constructed in the late 1800s,” said Latrena Owens, director of real estate for the D.C. Department of Planning and Economic Development.

Missed Part 1? See it here: Look inside DC’s long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Owens is overseeing the entire project for the D.C. government.

“This project is on the National Register. It was put there in 1990, so we are doing our best to preserve and integrate what’s old and new together for this community,” she said.

‘This architecture still kind of looks grand’

Sarah Leavitt, historian and author of “St Elizabeths in Washington, D.C.: Architecture of an Asylum,” believes the way the campus was built more than a century ago speaks to how important the government thought having a place to treat mental illness was back then.

“This architecture still kind of looks grand,” she said. “You can see the windows are giant. The roof — look at the way that the pediment of the roof sits. They were really trying to do something here with the architecture and say, ‘We find this important.’ Anytime you see architecture like this, you know somebody thought it was important to have a look, a feel for this campus that would be beneficial to the folks that worked and lived here.”

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

Brian Burke took News4 inside Building P, one of the structures his firm, the Menkiti Group, is repurposing.

“Our firm does a number of historic renovations, but these are by far the coolest buildings that we’ve been able to work on,” he said. “Just the history here and the enormity of these really, really impressive historic buildings is just a lot of fun to work with. There’s a lot to it. A lot goes into restoring these back to their original brilliance, but it’s a really fun challenge.”

This type of construction and architecture would be too expensive to do today, Burke said, but now these buildings that have been abandoned for years are being returned to the community.

“These two buildings are going to be programmed for nonprofit uses, mainly,” he said. “There will be some community-serving spaces, a community center; there will be workforce development areas, youth services and childcare. And then there’ll be some arts uses,” he said.

‘It truly gives you the chills’

The most infamous building on the campus is the Blackburn Laboratory, which News4 recently got to look inside. This was one of the most notorious laboratories in U.S. history, where the doctor who developed the “ice pick lobotomy” began his early research into mental illness. It took News4 more than a year to get permission to go inside.

Brian Butler’s firm, Atmos Solutions, is restoring Blackburn.

“When you’re walking around some of the building and you’re really seeing the history that was made here for the research that was done in this building and just having the opportunity, just picking up, and we looked at some stuff today as we picked things up off the ground, really what was involved in happening with all of those artifacts affected within the building,” Butler said. “It truly gives you the chills.”

The renovation of the Blackburn Building is going to be historic in a new way: It will be lifted up and moved closer to the road.

“The building itself is going to be one of the largest moves of anywhere in the country of moving a historical building like this. So a huge opportunity and difficulties at the same time,” Butler said.

“We have to effectively go underneath the building, jack it into the air and then slowly, almost like rail tracks, move the building over onto new foundations. The difficulty here is that the new foundations will have to be pouring them as the building are in the air, because the new foundations is going to go underneath the existing footprint,” he said. “So it’s really complex structural challenges ahead.”

It’s unclear whether the still-intact operating room will be preserved.

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Redevelopment at D.C.’s old St. Elizabeths Hospital campus has been underway for years. But some of the historic buildings — including the infamous Blackburn Laboratory, where the early techniques for lobotomies were developed — have remained untouched.

The 180-acre campus east of the Anacostia River is just as big as the RFK Stadium site but doesn’t get near as much public attention. Some of the St. Elizabeths campus has already been redeveloped, with the CareFirst Arena serving as an anchor.

Now, one by one, these once-beautiful brick buildings are being rehabilitated and repurposed.

“It is a massive undertaking, especially of the buildings that were constructed in the late 1800s,” said Latrena Owens, director of real estate for the D.C. Department of Planning and Economic Development.

Missed Part 1? See it here: Look inside DC’s long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Owens is overseeing the entire project for the D.C. government.

“This project is on the National Register. It was put there in 1990, so we are doing our best to preserve and integrate what’s old and new together for this community,” she said.

‘This architecture still kind of looks grand’

Sarah Leavitt, historian and author of “St Elizabeths in Washington, D.C.: Architecture of an Asylum,” believes the way the campus was built more than a century ago speaks to how important the government thought having a place to treat mental illness was back then.

“This architecture still kind of looks grand,” she said. “You can see the windows are giant. The roof — look at the way that the pediment of the roof sits. They were really trying to do something here with the architecture and say, ‘We find this important.’ Anytime you see architecture like this, you know somebody thought it was important to have a look, a feel for this campus that would be beneficial to the folks that worked and lived here.”

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

Brian Burke took News4 inside Building P, one of the structures his firm, the Menkiti Group, is repurposing.

“Our firm does a number of historic renovations, but these are by far the coolest buildings that we’ve been able to work on,” he said. “Just the history here and the enormity of these really, really impressive historic buildings is just a lot of fun to work with. There’s a lot to it. A lot goes into restoring these back to their original brilliance, but it’s a really fun challenge.”

This type of construction and architecture would be too expensive to do today, Burke said, but now these buildings that have been abandoned for years are being returned to the community.

“These two buildings are going to be programmed for nonprofit uses, mainly,” he said. “There will be some community-serving spaces, a community center; there will be workforce development areas, youth services and childcare. And then there’ll be some arts uses,” he said.

‘It truly gives you the chills’

The most infamous building on the campus is the Blackburn Laboratory, which News4 recently got to look inside. This was one of the most notorious laboratories in U.S. history, where the doctor who developed the “ice pick lobotomy” began his early research into mental illness. It took News4 more than a year to get permission to go inside.

Brian Butler’s firm, Atmos Solutions, is restoring Blackburn.

“When you’re walking around some of the building and you’re really seeing the history that was made here for the research that was done in this building and just having the opportunity, just picking up, and we looked at some stuff today as we picked things up off the ground, really what was involved in happening with all of those artifacts affected within the building,” Butler said. “It truly gives you the chills.”

The renovation of the Blackburn Building is going to be historic in a new way: It will be lifted up and moved closer to the road.

“The building itself is going to be one of the largest moves of anywhere in the country of moving a historical building like this. So a huge opportunity and difficulties at the same time,” Butler said.

“We have to effectively go underneath the building, jack it into the air and then slowly, almost like rail tracks, move the building over onto new foundations. The difficulty here is that the new foundations will have to be pouring them as the building are in the air, because the new foundations is going to go underneath the existing footprint,” he said. “So it’s really complex structural challenges ahead.”

It’s unclear whether the still-intact operating room will be preserved.

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Redevelopment at D.C.’s old St. Elizabeths Hospital campus has been underway for years. But some of the historic buildings — including the infamous Blackburn Laboratory, where the early techniques for lobotomies were developed — have remained untouched.

The 180-acre campus east of the Anacostia River is just as big as the RFK Stadium site but doesn’t get near as much public attention. Some of the St. Elizabeths campus has already been redeveloped, with the CareFirst Arena serving as an anchor.

Now, one by one, these once-beautiful brick buildings are being rehabilitated and repurposed.

“It is a massive undertaking, especially of the buildings that were constructed in the late 1800s,” said Latrena Owens, director of real estate for the D.C. Department of Planning and Economic Development.

Missed Part 1? See it here: Look inside DC’s long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Owens is overseeing the entire project for the D.C. government.

“This project is on the National Register. It was put there in 1990, so we are doing our best to preserve and integrate what’s old and new together for this community,” she said.

‘This architecture still kind of looks grand’

Sarah Leavitt, historian and author of “St Elizabeths in Washington, D.C.: Architecture of an Asylum,” believes the way the campus was built more than a century ago speaks to how important the government thought having a place to treat mental illness was back then.

“This architecture still kind of looks grand,” she said. “You can see the windows are giant. The roof — look at the way that the pediment of the roof sits. They were really trying to do something here with the architecture and say, ‘We find this important.’ Anytime you see architecture like this, you know somebody thought it was important to have a look, a feel for this campus that would be beneficial to the folks that worked and lived here.”

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

Brian Burke took News4 inside Building P, one of the structures his firm, the Menkiti Group, is repurposing.

“Our firm does a number of historic renovations, but these are by far the coolest buildings that we’ve been able to work on,” he said. “Just the history here and the enormity of these really, really impressive historic buildings is just a lot of fun to work with. There’s a lot to it. A lot goes into restoring these back to their original brilliance, but it’s a really fun challenge.”

This type of construction and architecture would be too expensive to do today, Burke said, but now these buildings that have been abandoned for years are being returned to the community.

“These two buildings are going to be programmed for nonprofit uses, mainly,” he said. “There will be some community-serving spaces, a community center; there will be workforce development areas, youth services and childcare. And then there’ll be some arts uses,” he said.

‘It truly gives you the chills’

The most infamous building on the campus is the Blackburn Laboratory, which News4 recently got to look inside. This was one of the most notorious laboratories in U.S. history, where the doctor who developed the “ice pick lobotomy” began his early research into mental illness. It took News4 more than a year to get permission to go inside.

Brian Butler’s firm, Atmos Solutions, is restoring Blackburn.

“When you’re walking around some of the building and you’re really seeing the history that was made here for the research that was done in this building and just having the opportunity, just picking up, and we looked at some stuff today as we picked things up off the ground, really what was involved in happening with all of those artifacts affected within the building,” Butler said. “It truly gives you the chills.”

The renovation of the Blackburn Building is going to be historic in a new way: It will be lifted up and moved closer to the road.

“The building itself is going to be one of the largest moves of anywhere in the country of moving a historical building like this. So a huge opportunity and difficulties at the same time,” Butler said.

“We have to effectively go underneath the building, jack it into the air and then slowly, almost like rail tracks, move the building over onto new foundations. The difficulty here is that the new foundations will have to be pouring them as the building are in the air, because the new foundations is going to go underneath the existing footprint,” he said. “So it’s really complex structural challenges ahead.”

It’s unclear whether the still-intact operating room will be preserved.

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Redevelopment at D.C.’s old St. Elizabeths Hospital campus has been underway for years. But some of the historic buildings — including the infamous Blackburn Laboratory, where the early techniques for lobotomies were developed — have remained untouched.

The 180-acre campus east of the Anacostia River is just as big as the RFK Stadium site but doesn’t get near as much public attention. Some of the St. Elizabeths campus has already been redeveloped, with the CareFirst Arena serving as an anchor.

Now, one by one, these once-beautiful brick buildings are being rehabilitated and repurposed.

“It is a massive undertaking, especially of the buildings that were constructed in the late 1800s,” said Latrena Owens, director of real estate for the D.C. Department of Planning and Economic Development.

Missed Part 1? See it here: Look inside DC’s long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Owens is overseeing the entire project for the D.C. government.

“This project is on the National Register. It was put there in 1990, so we are doing our best to preserve and integrate what’s old and new together for this community,” she said.

‘This architecture still kind of looks grand’

Sarah Leavitt, historian and author of “St Elizabeths in Washington, D.C.: Architecture of an Asylum,” believes the way the campus was built more than a century ago speaks to how important the government thought having a place to treat mental illness was back then.

“This architecture still kind of looks grand,” she said. “You can see the windows are giant. The roof — look at the way that the pediment of the roof sits. They were really trying to do something here with the architecture and say, ‘We find this important.’ Anytime you see architecture like this, you know somebody thought it was important to have a look, a feel for this campus that would be beneficial to the folks that worked and lived here.”

DC history Jun 1

Look inside DC's long-abandoned hospital infamous for lobotomy research

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

Brian Burke took News4 inside Building P, one of the structures his firm, the Menkiti Group, is repurposing.

“Our firm does a number of historic renovations, but these are by far the coolest buildings that we’ve been able to work on,” he said. “Just the history here and the enormity of these really, really impressive historic buildings is just a lot of fun to work with. There’s a lot to it. A lot goes into restoring these back to their original brilliance, but it’s a really fun challenge.”

This type of construction and architecture would be too expensive to do today, Burke said, but now these buildings that have been abandoned for years are being returned to the community.

“These two buildings are going to be programmed for nonprofit uses, mainly,” he said. “There will be some community-serving spaces, a community center; there will be workforce development areas, youth services and childcare. And then there’ll be some arts uses,” he said.

‘It truly gives you the chills’

The most infamous building on the campus is the Blackburn Laboratory, which News4 recently got to look inside. This was one of the most notorious laboratories in U.S. history, where the doctor who developed the “ice pick lobotomy” began his early research into mental illness. It took News4 more than a year to get permission to go inside.

Brian Butler’s firm, Atmos Solutions, is restoring Blackburn.

“When you’re walking around some of the building and you’re really seeing the history that was made here for the research that was done in this building and just having the opportunity, just picking up, and we looked at some stuff today as we picked things up off the ground, really what was involved in happening with all of those artifacts affected within the building,” Butler said. “It truly gives you the chills.”

The renovation of the Blackburn Building is going to be historic in a new way: It will be lifted up and moved closer to the road.

“The building itself is going to be one of the largest moves of anywhere in the country of moving a historical building like this. So a huge opportunity and difficulties at the same time,” Butler said.

“We have to effectively go underneath the building, jack it into the air and then slowly, almost like rail tracks, move the building over onto new foundations. The difficulty here is that the new foundations will have to be pouring them as the building are in the air, because the new foundations is going to go underneath the existing footprint,” he said. “So it’s really complex structural challenges ahead.”

It’s unclear whether the still-intact operating room will be preserved.

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

It was quite the week for animal rescue deputies in Stafford County last week as they rescued not one, not two, but four bald eagles within just days of each other.

The first eagle, a juvenile, was found in distress and rescued last week. A few days later, they rescued a second juvenile eagle in distress. A few days after that, they rescued an adult eagle, and just hours later that same day, another adult eagle was rescued.

Deputy Rachel Peterson rescued one of the majestic raptors herself. Hours later, Peterson assisted with the rescue of the second adult eagle.

“It’s incredibly rewarding because not only is there the opportunity of being able to go out and help these gorgeous birds, but I’m also able to provide that community education, too,” she said.

After they were rescued, volunteers transferred all four eagles to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in western Loudoun County.

“We generally get about 20 to 40 eagles per year, so getting four from any location within a week is pretty abnormal,” said Dr. Jen Riley, hospital director at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

The first juvenile eagle was fine and has already been released back into the wild. The second juvenile will recover and should be released soon.

But this is where a story of triumph turns tragic.

One of the adults had such severe bone fractures, it couldn’t be saved and was euthanized. The other adult had such severe lead poisoning, it passed away.

Riley says over 90% of the bald eagles that come into Blue Ridge have elevated levels of lead, and it all coincides, she said, with deer hunting season.

“And that’s because people will field dress deer and leave these gut piles in the field for scavengers to eat, and even these tiny little fragments of ammunition can poison these eagles, and actually the size of a grain of rice is enough to kill them,” Riley told News4.

Riley encourages hunters to buy ammunition that doesn’t contain lead, And while she acknowledges it is more expensive, she warns the cheaper, lead-based ammunition can come with an unintended cost.

But there are still two young eagles, who will both fly high over our heads again thanks to the response from local animal rescue deputies and the care of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

It was quite the week for animal rescue deputies in Stafford County last week as they rescued not one, not two, but four bald eagles within just days of each other.

The first eagle, a juvenile, was found in distress and rescued last week. A few days later, they rescued a second juvenile eagle in distress. A few days after that, they rescued an adult eagle, and just hours later that same day, another adult eagle was rescued.

Deputy Rachel Peterson rescued one of the majestic raptors herself. Hours later, Peterson assisted with the rescue of the second adult eagle.

“It’s incredibly rewarding because not only is there the opportunity of being able to go out and help these gorgeous birds, but I’m also able to provide that community education, too,” she said.

After they were rescued, volunteers transferred all four eagles to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in western Loudoun County.

“We generally get about 20 to 40 eagles per year, so getting four from any location within a week is pretty abnormal,” said Dr. Jen Riley, hospital director at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

The first juvenile eagle was fine and has already been released back into the wild. The second juvenile will recover and should be released soon.

But this is where a story of triumph turns tragic.

One of the adults had such severe bone fractures, it couldn’t be saved and was euthanized. The other adult had such severe lead poisoning, it passed away.

Riley says over 90% of the bald eagles that come into Blue Ridge have elevated levels of lead, and it all coincides, she said, with deer hunting season.

“And that’s because people will field dress deer and leave these gut piles in the field for scavengers to eat, and even these tiny little fragments of ammunition can poison these eagles, and actually the size of a grain of rice is enough to kill them,” Riley told News4.

Riley encourages hunters to buy ammunition that doesn’t contain lead, And while she acknowledges it is more expensive, she warns the cheaper, lead-based ammunition can come with an unintended cost.

But there are still two young eagles, who will both fly high over our heads again thanks to the response from local animal rescue deputies and the care of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

It was quite the week for animal rescue deputies in Stafford County last week as they rescued not one, not two, but four bald eagles within just days of each other.

The first eagle, a juvenile, was found in distress and rescued last week. A few days later, they rescued a second juvenile eagle in distress. A few days after that, they rescued an adult eagle, and just hours later that same day, another adult eagle was rescued.

Deputy Rachel Peterson rescued one of the majestic raptors herself. Hours later, Peterson assisted with the rescue of the second adult eagle.

“It’s incredibly rewarding because not only is there the opportunity of being able to go out and help these gorgeous birds, but I’m also able to provide that community education, too,” she said.

After they were rescued, volunteers transferred all four eagles to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in western Loudoun County.

“We generally get about 20 to 40 eagles per year, so getting four from any location within a week is pretty abnormal,” said Dr. Jen Riley, hospital director at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

The first juvenile eagle was fine and has already been released back into the wild. The second juvenile will recover and should be released soon.

But this is where a story of triumph turns tragic.

One of the adults had such severe bone fractures, it couldn’t be saved and was euthanized. The other adult had such severe lead poisoning, it passed away.

Riley says over 90% of the bald eagles that come into Blue Ridge have elevated levels of lead, and it all coincides, she said, with deer hunting season.

“And that’s because people will field dress deer and leave these gut piles in the field for scavengers to eat, and even these tiny little fragments of ammunition can poison these eagles, and actually the size of a grain of rice is enough to kill them,” Riley told News4.

Riley encourages hunters to buy ammunition that doesn’t contain lead, And while she acknowledges it is more expensive, she warns the cheaper, lead-based ammunition can come with an unintended cost.

But there are still two young eagles, who will both fly high over our heads again thanks to the response from local animal rescue deputies and the care of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

It was quite the week for animal rescue deputies in Stafford County last week as they rescued not one, not two, but four bald eagles within just days of each other.

The first eagle, a juvenile, was found in distress and rescued last week. A few days later, they rescued a second juvenile eagle in distress. A few days after that, they rescued an adult eagle, and just hours later that same day, another adult eagle was rescued.

Deputy Rachel Peterson rescued one of the majestic raptors herself. Hours later, Peterson assisted with the rescue of the second adult eagle.

“It’s incredibly rewarding because not only is there the opportunity of being able to go out and help these gorgeous birds, but I’m also able to provide that community education, too,” she said.

After they were rescued, volunteers transferred all four eagles to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in western Loudoun County.

“We generally get about 20 to 40 eagles per year, so getting four from any location within a week is pretty abnormal,” said Dr. Jen Riley, hospital director at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

The first juvenile eagle was fine and has already been released back into the wild. The second juvenile will recover and should be released soon.

But this is where a story of triumph turns tragic.

One of the adults had such severe bone fractures, it couldn’t be saved and was euthanized. The other adult had such severe lead poisoning, it passed away.

Riley says over 90% of the bald eagles that come into Blue Ridge have elevated levels of lead, and it all coincides, she said, with deer hunting season.

“And that’s because people will field dress deer and leave these gut piles in the field for scavengers to eat, and even these tiny little fragments of ammunition can poison these eagles, and actually the size of a grain of rice is enough to kill them,” Riley told News4.

Riley encourages hunters to buy ammunition that doesn’t contain lead, And while she acknowledges it is more expensive, she warns the cheaper, lead-based ammunition can come with an unintended cost.

But there are still two young eagles, who will both fly high over our heads again thanks to the response from local animal rescue deputies and the care of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

It was quite the week for animal rescue deputies in Stafford County last week as they rescued not one, not two, but four bald eagles within just days of each other.

The first eagle, a juvenile, was found in distress and rescued last week. A few days later, they rescued a second juvenile eagle in distress. A few days after that, they rescued an adult eagle, and just hours later that same day, another adult eagle was rescued.

Deputy Rachel Peterson rescued one of the majestic raptors herself. Hours later, Peterson assisted with the rescue of the second adult eagle.

“It’s incredibly rewarding because not only is there the opportunity of being able to go out and help these gorgeous birds, but I’m also able to provide that community education, too,” she said.

After they were rescued, volunteers transferred all four eagles to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in western Loudoun County.

“We generally get about 20 to 40 eagles per year, so getting four from any location within a week is pretty abnormal,” said Dr. Jen Riley, hospital director at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

The first juvenile eagle was fine and has already been released back into the wild. The second juvenile will recover and should be released soon.

But this is where a story of triumph turns tragic.

One of the adults had such severe bone fractures, it couldn’t be saved and was euthanized. The other adult had such severe lead poisoning, it passed away.

Riley says over 90% of the bald eagles that come into Blue Ridge have elevated levels of lead, and it all coincides, she said, with deer hunting season.

“And that’s because people will field dress deer and leave these gut piles in the field for scavengers to eat, and even these tiny little fragments of ammunition can poison these eagles, and actually the size of a grain of rice is enough to kill them,” Riley told News4.

Riley encourages hunters to buy ammunition that doesn’t contain lead, And while she acknowledges it is more expensive, she warns the cheaper, lead-based ammunition can come with an unintended cost.

But there are still two young eagles, who will both fly high over our heads again thanks to the response from local animal rescue deputies and the care of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

It was quite the week for animal rescue deputies in Stafford County last week as they rescued not one, not two, but four bald eagles within just days of each other.

The first eagle, a juvenile, was found in distress and rescued last week. A few days later, they rescued a second juvenile eagle in distress. A few days after that, they rescued an adult eagle, and just hours later that same day, another adult eagle was rescued.

Deputy Rachel Peterson rescued one of the majestic raptors herself. Hours later, Peterson assisted with the rescue of the second adult eagle.

“It’s incredibly rewarding because not only is there the opportunity of being able to go out and help these gorgeous birds, but I’m also able to provide that community education, too,” she said.

After they were rescued, volunteers transferred all four eagles to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in western Loudoun County.

“We generally get about 20 to 40 eagles per year, so getting four from any location within a week is pretty abnormal,” said Dr. Jen Riley, hospital director at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

The first juvenile eagle was fine and has already been released back into the wild. The second juvenile will recover and should be released soon.

But this is where a story of triumph turns tragic.

One of the adults had such severe bone fractures, it couldn’t be saved and was euthanized. The other adult had such severe lead poisoning, it passed away.

Riley says over 90% of the bald eagles that come into Blue Ridge have elevated levels of lead, and it all coincides, she said, with deer hunting season.

“And that’s because people will field dress deer and leave these gut piles in the field for scavengers to eat, and even these tiny little fragments of ammunition can poison these eagles, and actually the size of a grain of rice is enough to kill them,” Riley told News4.

Riley encourages hunters to buy ammunition that doesn’t contain lead, And while she acknowledges it is more expensive, she warns the cheaper, lead-based ammunition can come with an unintended cost.

But there are still two young eagles, who will both fly high over our heads again thanks to the response from local animal rescue deputies and the care of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

Virginia state police and NTSB investigators are still conducting their detailed examination of the bus involved in Friday’s deadly crash on I-95 in Stafford, which killed five people and injured dozens of others. Personal injury attorneys are also analyzing the crash, warning of challenges ahead for victims who might want to file civil lawsuits.

The bus was operated by a small company — E&P travel from North Carolina — that started business in November 2023. It had four buses and 11 drivers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a subpoena to New York officials, seeking bus driver Jing Dong’s records. The subpoena demands documents detailing his application and training for his commercial driver’s license.

Dong was indicted Monday on additional charges and now faces five counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of a young woman and a family of four. Dozens of other people were injured in the crash, and three people remain hospitalized, including Dong.

The criminal case will be handled at the Stafford County courthouse, and this is also where other lawsuits could be brought. In Virginia, those who were injured and representatives of those killed have about two years to file their cases.

“This is catastrophic for so many people, and it’s an unimaginable loss. Terrible,” said Northern Virginia attorney Demetry Pikrallidas. He specializes in personal injury cases and represented a woman injured in her vehicle a decade ago when a bus crashed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Pikrallidas said, in his experience, there might be challenges ahead for victims who might hope to file lawsuits and get to the bottom of who is responsible for running the company.

“It was basically a shell game trying to find out really who owned the bus, who managed the bus and what the insurance was worth,” Pikrallidas said.

Inspection records kept by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration show E&P travel buses were involved in a crash in North Carolina back in August 2024 in which there were injuries. Three other speeding violations were also noted.

News4 also learned of a fourth violation, in which Dong was ticketed in Maryland this spring. There is also a citation for a driver who was not proficient in English, but it is not clear who that driver was.

A defense attorney for Dong entered a guilty plea in connection with a separate incident in Anne Arundel County. Back in March, Dong was cited for driving 72 mph in a 50 mph zone.

Ed Jazlowiecki said he sees red flags with this bus company. His Connecticut firm has handled more than a dozen bus crash lawsuits in the last decade. He’s already started to dig into E&P travel’s USDOT records.

“The first thing that strikes me is that they have an apartment as the main office; that’s number one. Number two, they’re very small,” Jazlowiecki said.

He’s said he’s also concerned with the limited amount of insurance coverage reflected in the records.

“It lists the minimum coverage is $5 million, and that’s what they have. And $5 million is totally, totally inadequate,” Jazlowiecki said.

Both attorneys emphasized these are the very early days after the crash, and it’s too early to know what lawsuits will develop. But they also know from experience the victims’ lives will be changed for years to come by the impact of the crash.

News4 has reached out to E&P travel numerous times and has not heard back.

Virginia state police investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash — or who has video of the crash or its aftermath — to call them at 804-750-8778 or email [email protected].

Virginia state police and NTSB investigators are still conducting their detailed examination of the bus involved in Friday’s deadly crash on I-95 in Stafford, which killed five people and injured dozens of others. Personal injury attorneys are also analyzing the crash, warning of challenges ahead for victims who might want to file civil lawsuits.

The bus was operated by a small company — E&P travel from North Carolina — that started business in November 2023. It had four buses and 11 drivers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a subpoena to New York officials, seeking bus driver Jing Dong’s records. The subpoena demands documents detailing his application and training for his commercial driver’s license.

Dong was indicted Monday on additional charges and now faces five counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of a young woman and a family of four. Dozens of other people were injured in the crash, and three people remain hospitalized, including Dong.

The criminal case will be handled at the Stafford County courthouse, and this is also where other lawsuits could be brought. In Virginia, those who were injured and representatives of those killed have about two years to file their cases.

“This is catastrophic for so many people, and it’s an unimaginable loss. Terrible,” said Northern Virginia attorney Demetry Pikrallidas. He specializes in personal injury cases and represented a woman injured in her vehicle a decade ago when a bus crashed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Pikrallidas said, in his experience, there might be challenges ahead for victims who might hope to file lawsuits and get to the bottom of who is responsible for running the company.

“It was basically a shell game trying to find out really who owned the bus, who managed the bus and what the insurance was worth,” Pikrallidas said.

Inspection records kept by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration show E&P travel buses were involved in a crash in North Carolina back in August 2024 in which there were injuries. Three other speeding violations were also noted.

News4 also learned of a fourth violation, in which Dong was ticketed in Maryland this spring. There is also a citation for a driver who was not proficient in English, but it is not clear who that driver was.

A defense attorney for Dong entered a guilty plea in connection with a separate incident in Anne Arundel County. Back in March, Dong was cited for driving 72 mph in a 50 mph zone.

Ed Jazlowiecki said he sees red flags with this bus company. His Connecticut firm has handled more than a dozen bus crash lawsuits in the last decade. He’s already started to dig into E&P travel’s USDOT records.

“The first thing that strikes me is that they have an apartment as the main office; that’s number one. Number two, they’re very small,” Jazlowiecki said.

He’s said he’s also concerned with the limited amount of insurance coverage reflected in the records.

“It lists the minimum coverage is $5 million, and that’s what they have. And $5 million is totally, totally inadequate,” Jazlowiecki said.

Both attorneys emphasized these are the very early days after the crash, and it’s too early to know what lawsuits will develop. But they also know from experience the victims’ lives will be changed for years to come by the impact of the crash.

News4 has reached out to E&P travel numerous times and has not heard back.

Virginia state police investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash — or who has video of the crash or its aftermath — to call them at 804-750-8778 or email [email protected].

Virginia state police and NTSB investigators are still conducting their detailed examination of the bus involved in Friday’s deadly crash on I-95 in Stafford, which killed five people and injured dozens of others. Personal injury attorneys are also analyzing the crash, warning of challenges ahead for victims who might want to file civil lawsuits.

The bus was operated by a small company — E&P travel from North Carolina — that started business in November 2023. It had four buses and 11 drivers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a subpoena to New York officials, seeking bus driver Jing Dong’s records. The subpoena demands documents detailing his application and training for his commercial driver’s license.

Dong was indicted Monday on additional charges and now faces five counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of a young woman and a family of four. Dozens of other people were injured in the crash, and three people remain hospitalized, including Dong.

The criminal case will be handled at the Stafford County courthouse, and this is also where other lawsuits could be brought. In Virginia, those who were injured and representatives of those killed have about two years to file their cases.

“This is catastrophic for so many people, and it’s an unimaginable loss. Terrible,” said Northern Virginia attorney Demetry Pikrallidas. He specializes in personal injury cases and represented a woman injured in her vehicle a decade ago when a bus crashed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Pikrallidas said, in his experience, there might be challenges ahead for victims who might hope to file lawsuits and get to the bottom of who is responsible for running the company.

“It was basically a shell game trying to find out really who owned the bus, who managed the bus and what the insurance was worth,” Pikrallidas said.

Inspection records kept by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration show E&P travel buses were involved in a crash in North Carolina back in August 2024 in which there were injuries. Three other speeding violations were also noted.

News4 also learned of a fourth violation, in which Dong was ticketed in Maryland this spring. There is also a citation for a driver who was not proficient in English, but it is not clear who that driver was.

A defense attorney for Dong entered a guilty plea in connection with a separate incident in Anne Arundel County. Back in March, Dong was cited for driving 72 mph in a 50 mph zone.

Ed Jazlowiecki said he sees red flags with this bus company. His Connecticut firm has handled more than a dozen bus crash lawsuits in the last decade. He’s already started to dig into E&P travel’s USDOT records.

“The first thing that strikes me is that they have an apartment as the main office; that’s number one. Number two, they’re very small,” Jazlowiecki said.

He’s said he’s also concerned with the limited amount of insurance coverage reflected in the records.

“It lists the minimum coverage is $5 million, and that’s what they have. And $5 million is totally, totally inadequate,” Jazlowiecki said.

Both attorneys emphasized these are the very early days after the crash, and it’s too early to know what lawsuits will develop. But they also know from experience the victims’ lives will be changed for years to come by the impact of the crash.

News4 has reached out to E&P travel numerous times and has not heard back.

Virginia state police investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash — or who has video of the crash or its aftermath — to call them at 804-750-8778 or email [email protected].

Virginia state police and NTSB investigators are still conducting their detailed examination of the bus involved in Friday’s deadly crash on I-95 in Stafford, which killed five people and injured dozens of others. Personal injury attorneys are also analyzing the crash, warning of challenges ahead for victims who might want to file civil lawsuits.

The bus was operated by a small company — E&P travel from North Carolina — that started business in November 2023. It had four buses and 11 drivers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a subpoena to New York officials, seeking bus driver Jing Dong’s records. The subpoena demands documents detailing his application and training for his commercial driver’s license.

Dong was indicted Monday on additional charges and now faces five counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of a young woman and a family of four. Dozens of other people were injured in the crash, and three people remain hospitalized, including Dong.

The criminal case will be handled at the Stafford County courthouse, and this is also where other lawsuits could be brought. In Virginia, those who were injured and representatives of those killed have about two years to file their cases.

“This is catastrophic for so many people, and it’s an unimaginable loss. Terrible,” said Northern Virginia attorney Demetry Pikrallidas. He specializes in personal injury cases and represented a woman injured in her vehicle a decade ago when a bus crashed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Pikrallidas said, in his experience, there might be challenges ahead for victims who might hope to file lawsuits and get to the bottom of who is responsible for running the company.

“It was basically a shell game trying to find out really who owned the bus, who managed the bus and what the insurance was worth,” Pikrallidas said.

Inspection records kept by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration show E&P travel buses were involved in a crash in North Carolina back in August 2024 in which there were injuries. Three other speeding violations were also noted.

News4 also learned of a fourth violation, in which Dong was ticketed in Maryland this spring. There is also a citation for a driver who was not proficient in English, but it is not clear who that driver was.

A defense attorney for Dong entered a guilty plea in connection with a separate incident in Anne Arundel County. Back in March, Dong was cited for driving 72 mph in a 50 mph zone.

Ed Jazlowiecki said he sees red flags with this bus company. His Connecticut firm has handled more than a dozen bus crash lawsuits in the last decade. He’s already started to dig into E&P travel’s USDOT records.

“The first thing that strikes me is that they have an apartment as the main office; that’s number one. Number two, they’re very small,” Jazlowiecki said.

He’s said he’s also concerned with the limited amount of insurance coverage reflected in the records.

“It lists the minimum coverage is $5 million, and that’s what they have. And $5 million is totally, totally inadequate,” Jazlowiecki said.

Both attorneys emphasized these are the very early days after the crash, and it’s too early to know what lawsuits will develop. But they also know from experience the victims’ lives will be changed for years to come by the impact of the crash.

News4 has reached out to E&P travel numerous times and has not heard back.

Virginia state police investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash — or who has video of the crash or its aftermath — to call them at 804-750-8778 or email [email protected].

Virginia state police and NTSB investigators are still conducting their detailed examination of the bus involved in Friday’s deadly crash on I-95 in Stafford, which killed five people and injured dozens of others. Personal injury attorneys are also analyzing the crash, warning of challenges ahead for victims who might want to file civil lawsuits.

The bus was operated by a small company — E&P travel from North Carolina — that started business in November 2023. It had four buses and 11 drivers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a subpoena to New York officials, seeking bus driver Jing Dong’s records. The subpoena demands documents detailing his application and training for his commercial driver’s license.

Dong was indicted Monday on additional charges and now faces five counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of a young woman and a family of four. Dozens of other people were injured in the crash, and three people remain hospitalized, including Dong.

The criminal case will be handled at the Stafford County courthouse, and this is also where other lawsuits could be brought. In Virginia, those who were injured and representatives of those killed have about two years to file their cases.

“This is catastrophic for so many people, and it’s an unimaginable loss. Terrible,” said Northern Virginia attorney Demetry Pikrallidas. He specializes in personal injury cases and represented a woman injured in her vehicle a decade ago when a bus crashed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Pikrallidas said, in his experience, there might be challenges ahead for victims who might hope to file lawsuits and get to the bottom of who is responsible for running the company.

“It was basically a shell game trying to find out really who owned the bus, who managed the bus and what the insurance was worth,” Pikrallidas said.

Inspection records kept by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration show E&P travel buses were involved in a crash in North Carolina back in August 2024 in which there were injuries. Three other speeding violations were also noted.

News4 also learned of a fourth violation, in which Dong was ticketed in Maryland this spring. There is also a citation for a driver who was not proficient in English, but it is not clear who that driver was.

A defense attorney for Dong entered a guilty plea in connection with a separate incident in Anne Arundel County. Back in March, Dong was cited for driving 72 mph in a 50 mph zone.

Ed Jazlowiecki said he sees red flags with this bus company. His Connecticut firm has handled more than a dozen bus crash lawsuits in the last decade. He’s already started to dig into E&P travel’s USDOT records.

“The first thing that strikes me is that they have an apartment as the main office; that’s number one. Number two, they’re very small,” Jazlowiecki said.

He’s said he’s also concerned with the limited amount of insurance coverage reflected in the records.

“It lists the minimum coverage is $5 million, and that’s what they have. And $5 million is totally, totally inadequate,” Jazlowiecki said.

Both attorneys emphasized these are the very early days after the crash, and it’s too early to know what lawsuits will develop. But they also know from experience the victims’ lives will be changed for years to come by the impact of the crash.

News4 has reached out to E&P travel numerous times and has not heard back.

Virginia state police investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash — or who has video of the crash or its aftermath — to call them at 804-750-8778 or email [email protected].

Virginia state police and NTSB investigators are still conducting their detailed examination of the bus involved in Friday’s deadly crash on I-95 in Stafford, which killed five people and injured dozens of others. Personal injury attorneys are also analyzing the crash, warning of challenges ahead for victims who might want to file civil lawsuits.

The bus was operated by a small company — E&P travel from North Carolina — that started business in November 2023. It had four buses and 11 drivers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a subpoena to New York officials, seeking bus driver Jing Dong’s records. The subpoena demands documents detailing his application and training for his commercial driver’s license.

Dong was indicted Monday on additional charges and now faces five counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of a young woman and a family of four. Dozens of other people were injured in the crash, and three people remain hospitalized, including Dong.

The criminal case will be handled at the Stafford County courthouse, and this is also where other lawsuits could be brought. In Virginia, those who were injured and representatives of those killed have about two years to file their cases.

“This is catastrophic for so many people, and it’s an unimaginable loss. Terrible,” said Northern Virginia attorney Demetry Pikrallidas. He specializes in personal injury cases and represented a woman injured in her vehicle a decade ago when a bus crashed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Pikrallidas said, in his experience, there might be challenges ahead for victims who might hope to file lawsuits and get to the bottom of who is responsible for running the company.

“It was basically a shell game trying to find out really who owned the bus, who managed the bus and what the insurance was worth,” Pikrallidas said.

Inspection records kept by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration show E&P travel buses were involved in a crash in North Carolina back in August 2024 in which there were injuries. Three other speeding violations were also noted.

News4 also learned of a fourth violation, in which Dong was ticketed in Maryland this spring. There is also a citation for a driver who was not proficient in English, but it is not clear who that driver was.

A defense attorney for Dong entered a guilty plea in connection with a separate incident in Anne Arundel County. Back in March, Dong was cited for driving 72 mph in a 50 mph zone.

Ed Jazlowiecki said he sees red flags with this bus company. His Connecticut firm has handled more than a dozen bus crash lawsuits in the last decade. He’s already started to dig into E&P travel’s USDOT records.

“The first thing that strikes me is that they have an apartment as the main office; that’s number one. Number two, they’re very small,” Jazlowiecki said.

He’s said he’s also concerned with the limited amount of insurance coverage reflected in the records.

“It lists the minimum coverage is $5 million, and that’s what they have. And $5 million is totally, totally inadequate,” Jazlowiecki said.

Both attorneys emphasized these are the very early days after the crash, and it’s too early to know what lawsuits will develop. But they also know from experience the victims’ lives will be changed for years to come by the impact of the crash.

News4 has reached out to E&P travel numerous times and has not heard back.

Virginia state police investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash — or who has video of the crash or its aftermath — to call them at 804-750-8778 or email [email protected].

As Washington, D.C., gears up for a busy summer of major events for the nation’s 250th anniversary, federal law enforcement agencies are preparing for the large crowds and increasing security in the city.

Inside the D.C. Armory on Tuesday, agencies including the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, Secret Service and the D.C. National Guard came together to showcase the equipment, personnel and resources they’ll be using to help secure the Freedom250 events.

“Compared to the cost of a life, we would rather lose a robot than lose a bomb tech,” said Aidan Garcia, a bomb technician team leader for the FBI. “So the aspects of bringing general public into a space with the VIPs makes a challenge for protection, both from Secret Service and for us with public safety, officer safety of how we protect these events.”

Much of the equipment are tools that law enforcement hopes they’ll never need to use. But they’re training and preparing to ensure they’re ready for any situation.

“The vessel in the back is designed to withstand and contain a blast or detonation from an IED,” said Don Stensland, a bomb technician for the U.S. Capitol Police.

America250 Jun 1

30 gallons of fuel spilled on National Mall after event for America's 250th birthday

Washington DC May 28

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride join wave of cancellations at Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts

America250 May 28

White House UFC fight construction underway: See the towering ‘Claw' in DC

The summer’s major events include a UFC match at the White House, a massive Fourth of July celebration and state fair and the Freedom250 Grand Prix in August.

Each event requires extensive coordination among law enforcement agencies.

“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats to the events of this summer. With that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that D.C. on a normal day is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threats and we will work with our partners to address those,” said Darren Cox, the assistant director in charge for the FBI Washington Field Office.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend these events, and law enforcement says public awareness will be just as important as the security presence on the ground.

“You play a critical role in public safety. I can’t emphasize this enough: If you see something, say something,” said Tara McCleese, special agent in charge for the Secret Service Washington Field Office.

All visitors will be screened at the entry points to the events on the National Mall, according to the Freedom250 website.

Authorities say no drones or weapons of any kind are allowed at the events. Other prohibited items include aerosol sprays, backpacks that exceed size restrictions, strollers, umbrellas, lighters and drink tumblers. See the full list and find more info about the events online.

As Washington, D.C., gears up for a busy summer of major events for the nation’s 250th anniversary, federal law enforcement agencies are preparing for the large crowds and increasing security in the city.

Inside the D.C. Armory on Tuesday, agencies including the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, Secret Service and the D.C. National Guard came together to showcase the equipment, personnel and resources they’ll be using to help secure the Freedom250 events.

“Compared to the cost of a life, we would rather lose a robot than lose a bomb tech,” said Aidan Garcia, a bomb technician team leader for the FBI. “So the aspects of bringing general public into a space with the VIPs makes a challenge for protection, both from Secret Service and for us with public safety, officer safety of how we protect these events.”

Much of the equipment are tools that law enforcement hopes they’ll never need to use. But they’re training and preparing to ensure they’re ready for any situation.

“The vessel in the back is designed to withstand and contain a blast or detonation from an IED,” said Don Stensland, a bomb technician for the U.S. Capitol Police.

America250 Jun 1

30 gallons of fuel spilled on National Mall after event for America's 250th birthday

Washington DC May 28

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride join wave of cancellations at Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts

America250 May 28

White House UFC fight construction underway: See the towering ‘Claw' in DC

The summer’s major events include a UFC match at the White House, a massive Fourth of July celebration and state fair and the Freedom250 Grand Prix in August.

Each event requires extensive coordination among law enforcement agencies.

“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats to the events of this summer. With that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that D.C. on a normal day is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threats and we will work with our partners to address those,” said Darren Cox, the assistant director in charge for the FBI Washington Field Office.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend these events, and law enforcement says public awareness will be just as important as the security presence on the ground.

“You play a critical role in public safety. I can’t emphasize this enough: If you see something, say something,” said Tara McCleese, special agent in charge for the Secret Service Washington Field Office.

All visitors will be screened at the entry points to the events on the National Mall, according to the Freedom250 website.

Authorities say no drones or weapons of any kind are allowed at the events. Other prohibited items include aerosol sprays, backpacks that exceed size restrictions, strollers, umbrellas, lighters and drink tumblers. See the full list and find more info about the events online.

As Washington, D.C., gears up for a busy summer of major events for the nation’s 250th anniversary, federal law enforcement agencies are preparing for the large crowds and increasing security in the city.

Inside the D.C. Armory on Tuesday, agencies including the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, Secret Service and the D.C. National Guard came together to showcase the equipment, personnel and resources they’ll be using to help secure the Freedom250 events.

“Compared to the cost of a life, we would rather lose a robot than lose a bomb tech,” said Aidan Garcia, a bomb technician team leader for the FBI. “So the aspects of bringing general public into a space with the VIPs makes a challenge for protection, both from Secret Service and for us with public safety, officer safety of how we protect these events.”

Much of the equipment are tools that law enforcement hopes they’ll never need to use. But they’re training and preparing to ensure they’re ready for any situation.

“The vessel in the back is designed to withstand and contain a blast or detonation from an IED,” said Don Stensland, a bomb technician for the U.S. Capitol Police.

America250 Jun 1

30 gallons of fuel spilled on National Mall after event for America's 250th birthday

Washington DC May 28

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride join wave of cancellations at Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts

America250 May 28

White House UFC fight construction underway: See the towering ‘Claw' in DC

The summer’s major events include a UFC match at the White House, a massive Fourth of July celebration and state fair and the Freedom250 Grand Prix in August.

Each event requires extensive coordination among law enforcement agencies.

“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats to the events of this summer. With that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that D.C. on a normal day is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threats and we will work with our partners to address those,” said Darren Cox, the assistant director in charge for the FBI Washington Field Office.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend these events, and law enforcement says public awareness will be just as important as the security presence on the ground.

“You play a critical role in public safety. I can’t emphasize this enough: If you see something, say something,” said Tara McCleese, special agent in charge for the Secret Service Washington Field Office.

All visitors will be screened at the entry points to the events on the National Mall, according to the Freedom250 website.

Authorities say no drones or weapons of any kind are allowed at the events. Other prohibited items include aerosol sprays, backpacks that exceed size restrictions, strollers, umbrellas, lighters and drink tumblers. See the full list and find more info about the events online.

As Washington, D.C., gears up for a busy summer of major events for the nation’s 250th anniversary, federal law enforcement agencies are preparing for the large crowds and increasing security in the city.

Inside the D.C. Armory on Tuesday, agencies including the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, Secret Service and the D.C. National Guard came together to showcase the equipment, personnel and resources they’ll be using to help secure the Freedom250 events.

“Compared to the cost of a life, we would rather lose a robot than lose a bomb tech,” said Aidan Garcia, a bomb technician team leader for the FBI. “So the aspects of bringing general public into a space with the VIPs makes a challenge for protection, both from Secret Service and for us with public safety, officer safety of how we protect these events.”

Much of the equipment are tools that law enforcement hopes they’ll never need to use. But they’re training and preparing to ensure they’re ready for any situation.

“The vessel in the back is designed to withstand and contain a blast or detonation from an IED,” said Don Stensland, a bomb technician for the U.S. Capitol Police.

America250 Jun 1

30 gallons of fuel spilled on National Mall after event for America's 250th birthday

Washington DC May 28

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride join wave of cancellations at Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts

America250 May 28

White House UFC fight construction underway: See the towering ‘Claw' in DC

The summer’s major events include a UFC match at the White House, a massive Fourth of July celebration and state fair and the Freedom250 Grand Prix in August.

Each event requires extensive coordination among law enforcement agencies.

“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats to the events of this summer. With that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that D.C. on a normal day is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threats and we will work with our partners to address those,” said Darren Cox, the assistant director in charge for the FBI Washington Field Office.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend these events, and law enforcement says public awareness will be just as important as the security presence on the ground.

“You play a critical role in public safety. I can’t emphasize this enough: If you see something, say something,” said Tara McCleese, special agent in charge for the Secret Service Washington Field Office.

All visitors will be screened at the entry points to the events on the National Mall, according to the Freedom250 website.

Authorities say no drones or weapons of any kind are allowed at the events. Other prohibited items include aerosol sprays, backpacks that exceed size restrictions, strollers, umbrellas, lighters and drink tumblers. See the full list and find more info about the events online.

As Washington, D.C., gears up for a busy summer of major events for the nation’s 250th anniversary, federal law enforcement agencies are preparing for the large crowds and increasing security in the city.

Inside the D.C. Armory on Tuesday, agencies including the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, Secret Service and the D.C. National Guard came together to showcase the equipment, personnel and resources they’ll be using to help secure the Freedom250 events.

“Compared to the cost of a life, we would rather lose a robot than lose a bomb tech,” said Aidan Garcia, a bomb technician team leader for the FBI. “So the aspects of bringing general public into a space with the VIPs makes a challenge for protection, both from Secret Service and for us with public safety, officer safety of how we protect these events.”

Much of the equipment are tools that law enforcement hopes they’ll never need to use. But they’re training and preparing to ensure they’re ready for any situation.

“The vessel in the back is designed to withstand and contain a blast or detonation from an IED,” said Don Stensland, a bomb technician for the U.S. Capitol Police.

America250 Jun 1

30 gallons of fuel spilled on National Mall after event for America's 250th birthday

Washington DC May 28

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride join wave of cancellations at Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts

America250 May 28

White House UFC fight construction underway: See the towering ‘Claw' in DC

The summer’s major events include a UFC match at the White House, a massive Fourth of July celebration and state fair and the Freedom250 Grand Prix in August.

Each event requires extensive coordination among law enforcement agencies.

“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats to the events of this summer. With that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that D.C. on a normal day is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threats and we will work with our partners to address those,” said Darren Cox, the assistant director in charge for the FBI Washington Field Office.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend these events, and law enforcement says public awareness will be just as important as the security presence on the ground.

“You play a critical role in public safety. I can’t emphasize this enough: If you see something, say something,” said Tara McCleese, special agent in charge for the Secret Service Washington Field Office.

All visitors will be screened at the entry points to the events on the National Mall, according to the Freedom250 website.

Authorities say no drones or weapons of any kind are allowed at the events. Other prohibited items include aerosol sprays, backpacks that exceed size restrictions, strollers, umbrellas, lighters and drink tumblers. See the full list and find more info about the events online.

As Washington, D.C., gears up for a busy summer of major events for the nation’s 250th anniversary, federal law enforcement agencies are preparing for the large crowds and increasing security in the city.

Inside the D.C. Armory on Tuesday, agencies including the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, Secret Service and the D.C. National Guard came together to showcase the equipment, personnel and resources they’ll be using to help secure the Freedom250 events.

“Compared to the cost of a life, we would rather lose a robot than lose a bomb tech,” said Aidan Garcia, a bomb technician team leader for the FBI. “So the aspects of bringing general public into a space with the VIPs makes a challenge for protection, both from Secret Service and for us with public safety, officer safety of how we protect these events.”

Much of the equipment are tools that law enforcement hopes they’ll never need to use. But they’re training and preparing to ensure they’re ready for any situation.

“The vessel in the back is designed to withstand and contain a blast or detonation from an IED,” said Don Stensland, a bomb technician for the U.S. Capitol Police.

America250 Jun 1

30 gallons of fuel spilled on National Mall after event for America's 250th birthday

Washington DC May 28

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride join wave of cancellations at Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts

America250 May 28

White House UFC fight construction underway: See the towering ‘Claw' in DC

The summer’s major events include a UFC match at the White House, a massive Fourth of July celebration and state fair and the Freedom250 Grand Prix in August.

Each event requires extensive coordination among law enforcement agencies.

“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats to the events of this summer. With that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that D.C. on a normal day is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threats and we will work with our partners to address those,” said Darren Cox, the assistant director in charge for the FBI Washington Field Office.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend these events, and law enforcement says public awareness will be just as important as the security presence on the ground.

“You play a critical role in public safety. I can’t emphasize this enough: If you see something, say something,” said Tara McCleese, special agent in charge for the Secret Service Washington Field Office.

All visitors will be screened at the entry points to the events on the National Mall, according to the Freedom250 website.

Authorities say no drones or weapons of any kind are allowed at the events. Other prohibited items include aerosol sprays, backpacks that exceed size restrictions, strollers, umbrellas, lighters and drink tumblers. See the full list and find more info about the events online.

First responders met an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport Tuesday afternoon after a service dog had an “accident” on the plane, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Traveling in close quarters, several passengers felt ill after the dog relieved itself on Flight 5085 from Nashville after 2 p.m.

Emergency vehicles and crews deployed to the gate to help the passengers. Hazmat was recalled.

Medics checked on the passengers as they deplaned; none required medical attention.

American Airlines Flight 5085 from Nashville landed on time. News4 sent American Airlines an email for additional information.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

First responders met an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport Tuesday afternoon after a service dog had an “accident” on the plane, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Traveling in close quarters, several passengers felt ill after the dog relieved itself on Flight 5085 from Nashville after 2 p.m.

Emergency vehicles and crews deployed to the gate to help the passengers. Hazmat was recalled.

Medics checked on the passengers as they deplaned; none required medical attention.

American Airlines Flight 5085 from Nashville landed on time. News4 sent American Airlines an email for additional information.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

First responders met an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport Tuesday afternoon after a service dog had an “accident” on the plane, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Traveling in close quarters, several passengers felt ill after the dog relieved itself on Flight 5085 from Nashville after 2 p.m.

Emergency vehicles and crews deployed to the gate to help the passengers. Hazmat was recalled.

Medics checked on the passengers as they deplaned; none required medical attention.

American Airlines Flight 5085 from Nashville landed on time. News4 sent American Airlines an email for additional information.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

First responders met an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport Tuesday afternoon after a service dog had an “accident” on the plane, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Traveling in close quarters, several passengers felt ill after the dog relieved itself on Flight 5085 from Nashville after 2 p.m.

Emergency vehicles and crews deployed to the gate to help the passengers. Hazmat was recalled.

Medics checked on the passengers as they deplaned; none required medical attention.

American Airlines Flight 5085 from Nashville landed on time. News4 sent American Airlines an email for additional information.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

First responders met an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport Tuesday afternoon after a service dog had an “accident” on the plane, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Traveling in close quarters, several passengers felt ill after the dog relieved itself on Flight 5085 from Nashville after 2 p.m.

Emergency vehicles and crews deployed to the gate to help the passengers. Hazmat was recalled.

Medics checked on the passengers as they deplaned; none required medical attention.

American Airlines Flight 5085 from Nashville landed on time. News4 sent American Airlines an email for additional information.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

First responders met an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport Tuesday afternoon after a service dog had an “accident” on the plane, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Traveling in close quarters, several passengers felt ill after the dog relieved itself on Flight 5085 from Nashville after 2 p.m.

Emergency vehicles and crews deployed to the gate to help the passengers. Hazmat was recalled.

Medics checked on the passengers as they deplaned; none required medical attention.

American Airlines Flight 5085 from Nashville landed on time. News4 sent American Airlines an email for additional information.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

It seemed like Mimi Arnett’s luck had improved – but the saga of her son’s stolen car isn’t over.

Less than a week after the graduation gift was returned, it was stolen a second time. This time, it disappeared from a dealership lot.

News4 told you about the 2023 ZL1 Camaro stolen from a neighborhood in Beltsville on Memorial Day. It was a gift that Arnett and her son’s dad got for him after he earned his third graduate degree from the University of Maryland.

“I got that for him as a gift from me and his dad, you know?” Arnett said. “For someone to come and take that from us is very hurtful.”

After News4 reported the theft, the car was found abandoned on an Adelphi, Maryland, street the next day.

The sports car was taken to a police lot, where it was processed for evidence in the case. Then, on May 27, Arnett said it was towed to the AutoNation in Laurel where she made the purchase.

The car was supposed to receive an inspection. But on Friday afternoon, just two days later, Arnett got a call: The car was gone again, stolen from right off the lot.

“She said, ‘Ms. Arnett, where’s the car?'” Arnett recalled. “I said, excuse me? The car is with you guys. She said ‘We have checked the whole lot. The car is gone. It’s been stolen again.’ My heart dropped.”

Prince George's County May 25

Thieves steal Camaro UMD grad's family gave him as gift

Beltsville May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

Maryland May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

An employee at the dealership told Arnett the car was taken in broad daylight.

“He said he thought it was a technician that was taking my son’s car, pulling it out to go into the garage to start the inspection of the car,” Arnett said. “He said he’d actually seen the guy come on the lot, get in the car, and drive off.”

Arnett hasn’t gotten sufficient answers on how this could have happened, she said. News4 went to AutoNation, but nobody was available to answer our questions.

Arnett filed a report with Laurel police.

“This is GTA. This is some type of GTA that’s going on here,” Arnett said, referring to the Grand Theft Auto video game series. She said feels that the car is somehow being targeted.

“For them to go to lot and take the car, that shows that they don’t care,” Arnett said. “They’re going to go to any means necessary to get what they want. And they did. They got my son’s car again.”

While the car — valued at about $80,000 — was a special gift, Arnett said she doesn’t want her son to have it anymore, even if it is found.

“His safety is number one,” Arnett said. “We’re going to put him in something where he’s safe.”

It seemed like Mimi Arnett’s luck had improved – but the saga of her son’s stolen car isn’t over.

Less than a week after the graduation gift was returned, it was stolen a second time. This time, it disappeared from a dealership lot.

News4 told you about the 2023 ZL1 Camaro stolen from a neighborhood in Beltsville on Memorial Day. It was a gift that Arnett and her son’s dad got for him after he earned his third graduate degree from the University of Maryland.

“I got that for him as a gift from me and his dad, you know?” Arnett said. “For someone to come and take that from us is very hurtful.”

After News4 reported the theft, the car was found abandoned on an Adelphi, Maryland, street the next day.

The sports car was taken to a police lot, where it was processed for evidence in the case. Then, on May 27, Arnett said it was towed to the AutoNation in Laurel where she made the purchase.

The car was supposed to receive an inspection. But on Friday afternoon, just two days later, Arnett got a call: The car was gone again, stolen from right off the lot.

“She said, ‘Ms. Arnett, where’s the car?'” Arnett recalled. “I said, excuse me? The car is with you guys. She said ‘We have checked the whole lot. The car is gone. It’s been stolen again.’ My heart dropped.”

Prince George's County May 25

Thieves steal Camaro UMD grad's family gave him as gift

Beltsville May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

Maryland May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

An employee at the dealership told Arnett the car was taken in broad daylight.

“He said he thought it was a technician that was taking my son’s car, pulling it out to go into the garage to start the inspection of the car,” Arnett said. “He said he’d actually seen the guy come on the lot, get in the car, and drive off.”

Arnett hasn’t gotten sufficient answers on how this could have happened, she said. News4 went to AutoNation, but nobody was available to answer our questions.

Arnett filed a report with Laurel police.

“This is GTA. This is some type of GTA that’s going on here,” Arnett said, referring to the Grand Theft Auto video game series. She said feels that the car is somehow being targeted.

“For them to go to lot and take the car, that shows that they don’t care,” Arnett said. “They’re going to go to any means necessary to get what they want. And they did. They got my son’s car again.”

While the car — valued at about $80,000 — was a special gift, Arnett said she doesn’t want her son to have it anymore, even if it is found.

“His safety is number one,” Arnett said. “We’re going to put him in something where he’s safe.”

It seemed like Mimi Arnett’s luck had improved – but the saga of her son’s stolen car isn’t over.

Less than a week after the graduation gift was returned, it was stolen a second time. This time, it disappeared from a dealership lot.

News4 told you about the 2023 ZL1 Camaro stolen from a neighborhood in Beltsville on Memorial Day. It was a gift that Arnett and her son’s dad got for him after he earned his third graduate degree from the University of Maryland.

“I got that for him as a gift from me and his dad, you know?” Arnett said. “For someone to come and take that from us is very hurtful.”

After News4 reported the theft, the car was found abandoned on an Adelphi, Maryland, street the next day.

The sports car was taken to a police lot, where it was processed for evidence in the case. Then, on May 27, Arnett said it was towed to the AutoNation in Laurel where she made the purchase.

The car was supposed to receive an inspection. But on Friday afternoon, just two days later, Arnett got a call: The car was gone again, stolen from right off the lot.

“She said, ‘Ms. Arnett, where’s the car?'” Arnett recalled. “I said, excuse me? The car is with you guys. She said ‘We have checked the whole lot. The car is gone. It’s been stolen again.’ My heart dropped.”

Prince George's County May 25

Thieves steal Camaro UMD grad's family gave him as gift

Beltsville May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

Maryland May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

An employee at the dealership told Arnett the car was taken in broad daylight.

“He said he thought it was a technician that was taking my son’s car, pulling it out to go into the garage to start the inspection of the car,” Arnett said. “He said he’d actually seen the guy come on the lot, get in the car, and drive off.”

Arnett hasn’t gotten sufficient answers on how this could have happened, she said. News4 went to AutoNation, but nobody was available to answer our questions.

Arnett filed a report with Laurel police.

“This is GTA. This is some type of GTA that’s going on here,” Arnett said, referring to the Grand Theft Auto video game series. She said feels that the car is somehow being targeted.

“For them to go to lot and take the car, that shows that they don’t care,” Arnett said. “They’re going to go to any means necessary to get what they want. And they did. They got my son’s car again.”

While the car — valued at about $80,000 — was a special gift, Arnett said she doesn’t want her son to have it anymore, even if it is found.

“His safety is number one,” Arnett said. “We’re going to put him in something where he’s safe.”

It seemed like Mimi Arnett’s luck had improved – but the saga of her son’s stolen car isn’t over.

Less than a week after the graduation gift was returned, it was stolen a second time. This time, it disappeared from a dealership lot.

News4 told you about the 2023 ZL1 Camaro stolen from a neighborhood in Beltsville on Memorial Day. It was a gift that Arnett and her son’s dad got for him after he earned his third graduate degree from the University of Maryland.

“I got that for him as a gift from me and his dad, you know?” Arnett said. “For someone to come and take that from us is very hurtful.”

After News4 reported the theft, the car was found abandoned on an Adelphi, Maryland, street the next day.

The sports car was taken to a police lot, where it was processed for evidence in the case. Then, on May 27, Arnett said it was towed to the AutoNation in Laurel where she made the purchase.

The car was supposed to receive an inspection. But on Friday afternoon, just two days later, Arnett got a call: The car was gone again, stolen from right off the lot.

“She said, ‘Ms. Arnett, where’s the car?'” Arnett recalled. “I said, excuse me? The car is with you guys. She said ‘We have checked the whole lot. The car is gone. It’s been stolen again.’ My heart dropped.”

Prince George's County May 25

Thieves steal Camaro UMD grad's family gave him as gift

Beltsville May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

Maryland May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

An employee at the dealership told Arnett the car was taken in broad daylight.

“He said he thought it was a technician that was taking my son’s car, pulling it out to go into the garage to start the inspection of the car,” Arnett said. “He said he’d actually seen the guy come on the lot, get in the car, and drive off.”

Arnett hasn’t gotten sufficient answers on how this could have happened, she said. News4 went to AutoNation, but nobody was available to answer our questions.

Arnett filed a report with Laurel police.

“This is GTA. This is some type of GTA that’s going on here,” Arnett said, referring to the Grand Theft Auto video game series. She said feels that the car is somehow being targeted.

“For them to go to lot and take the car, that shows that they don’t care,” Arnett said. “They’re going to go to any means necessary to get what they want. And they did. They got my son’s car again.”

While the car — valued at about $80,000 — was a special gift, Arnett said she doesn’t want her son to have it anymore, even if it is found.

“His safety is number one,” Arnett said. “We’re going to put him in something where he’s safe.”

It seemed like Mimi Arnett’s luck had improved – but the saga of her son’s stolen car isn’t over.

Less than a week after the graduation gift was returned, it was stolen a second time. This time, it disappeared from a dealership lot.

News4 told you about the 2023 ZL1 Camaro stolen from a neighborhood in Beltsville on Memorial Day. It was a gift that Arnett and her son’s dad got for him after he earned his third graduate degree from the University of Maryland.

“I got that for him as a gift from me and his dad, you know?” Arnett said. “For someone to come and take that from us is very hurtful.”

After News4 reported the theft, the car was found abandoned on an Adelphi, Maryland, street the next day.

The sports car was taken to a police lot, where it was processed for evidence in the case. Then, on May 27, Arnett said it was towed to the AutoNation in Laurel where she made the purchase.

The car was supposed to receive an inspection. But on Friday afternoon, just two days later, Arnett got a call: The car was gone again, stolen from right off the lot.

“She said, ‘Ms. Arnett, where’s the car?'” Arnett recalled. “I said, excuse me? The car is with you guys. She said ‘We have checked the whole lot. The car is gone. It’s been stolen again.’ My heart dropped.”

Prince George's County May 25

Thieves steal Camaro UMD grad's family gave him as gift

Beltsville May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

Maryland May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

An employee at the dealership told Arnett the car was taken in broad daylight.

“He said he thought it was a technician that was taking my son’s car, pulling it out to go into the garage to start the inspection of the car,” Arnett said. “He said he’d actually seen the guy come on the lot, get in the car, and drive off.”

Arnett hasn’t gotten sufficient answers on how this could have happened, she said. News4 went to AutoNation, but nobody was available to answer our questions.

Arnett filed a report with Laurel police.

“This is GTA. This is some type of GTA that’s going on here,” Arnett said, referring to the Grand Theft Auto video game series. She said feels that the car is somehow being targeted.

“For them to go to lot and take the car, that shows that they don’t care,” Arnett said. “They’re going to go to any means necessary to get what they want. And they did. They got my son’s car again.”

While the car — valued at about $80,000 — was a special gift, Arnett said she doesn’t want her son to have it anymore, even if it is found.

“His safety is number one,” Arnett said. “We’re going to put him in something where he’s safe.”

It seemed like Mimi Arnett’s luck had improved – but the saga of her son’s stolen car isn’t over.

Less than a week after the graduation gift was returned, it was stolen a second time. This time, it disappeared from a dealership lot.

News4 told you about the 2023 ZL1 Camaro stolen from a neighborhood in Beltsville on Memorial Day. It was a gift that Arnett and her son’s dad got for him after he earned his third graduate degree from the University of Maryland.

“I got that for him as a gift from me and his dad, you know?” Arnett said. “For someone to come and take that from us is very hurtful.”

After News4 reported the theft, the car was found abandoned on an Adelphi, Maryland, street the next day.

The sports car was taken to a police lot, where it was processed for evidence in the case. Then, on May 27, Arnett said it was towed to the AutoNation in Laurel where she made the purchase.

The car was supposed to receive an inspection. But on Friday afternoon, just two days later, Arnett got a call: The car was gone again, stolen from right off the lot.

“She said, ‘Ms. Arnett, where’s the car?'” Arnett recalled. “I said, excuse me? The car is with you guys. She said ‘We have checked the whole lot. The car is gone. It’s been stolen again.’ My heart dropped.”

Prince George's County May 25

Thieves steal Camaro UMD grad's family gave him as gift

Beltsville May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

Maryland May 26

News4 report helps recover UMD grad's stolen car given to him by family as gift

An employee at the dealership told Arnett the car was taken in broad daylight.

“He said he thought it was a technician that was taking my son’s car, pulling it out to go into the garage to start the inspection of the car,” Arnett said. “He said he’d actually seen the guy come on the lot, get in the car, and drive off.”

Arnett hasn’t gotten sufficient answers on how this could have happened, she said. News4 went to AutoNation, but nobody was available to answer our questions.

Arnett filed a report with Laurel police.

“This is GTA. This is some type of GTA that’s going on here,” Arnett said, referring to the Grand Theft Auto video game series. She said feels that the car is somehow being targeted.

“For them to go to lot and take the car, that shows that they don’t care,” Arnett said. “They’re going to go to any means necessary to get what they want. And they did. They got my son’s car again.”

While the car — valued at about $80,000 — was a special gift, Arnett said she doesn’t want her son to have it anymore, even if it is found.

“His safety is number one,” Arnett said. “We’re going to put him in something where he’s safe.”

It is a place of beauty and peace. A memorial along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia, was dedicated Monday to the 67 people who died in the midair collision in January of last year.

The little grove of trees on a point that juts out into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport contains benches — places of reflection. One now bears a plaque dedicating it to the people, including children, who lost their lives nearby the night of Jan. 29, 2025.

“It takes bravery to be here today,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “It demands courage to move forward in life after an immense tragedy.”

Sheri Lilley is the stepmother of Sam Lilley. He was first officer aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.

“What we have to recall and what this space gives us the opportunity to do is remember they were more than just victims of that accident,” she said. “That day does not define who they were.”

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy made clear her displeasure at congressional measures that would effectively eliminate safety guardrails put into place following the collision between Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“Every day, every day that passes without implementation of all 50 safety recommendations represents a continued, unacceptable risk to safety,” she said.

Audrey Patel, widow of Flight 5342 passenger Vik Patel, evoked the depth of the loss felt by every family there in their own way. She played a birthday message her husband sent her when they began dating.

“You are such an incredible source of motivation for me, personally. You make me want to be better in, like, every sense and be healthier, be better at work, be a better son, better boyfriend,” he said in the message.

Potomac Crash Apr 14

House approves aviation safety bill based on deadly midair collision near Washington

Potomac Crash Jan 30

Decisions after DCA crash made mission more dangerous and traumatic, some first responders say

Potomac Crash Jan 29

DC divers describe moments after DCA crash and finding victims' possessions for months

She said that’s when she knew she wanted a future with her husband, a future that was cut short two weeks after she learned she was pregnant with the son her husband never got the chance to meet.

In addition to this memorial, the City of Alexandria says it plans to plant 67 trees in memory of those who died on that cold January night.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

It is a place of beauty and peace. A memorial along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia, was dedicated Monday to the 67 people who died in the midair collision in January of last year.

The little grove of trees on a point that juts out into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport contains benches — places of reflection. One now bears a plaque dedicating it to the people, including children, who lost their lives nearby the night of Jan. 29, 2025.

“It takes bravery to be here today,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “It demands courage to move forward in life after an immense tragedy.”

Sheri Lilley is the stepmother of Sam Lilley. He was first officer aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.

“What we have to recall and what this space gives us the opportunity to do is remember they were more than just victims of that accident,” she said. “That day does not define who they were.”

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy made clear her displeasure at congressional measures that would effectively eliminate safety guardrails put into place following the collision between Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“Every day, every day that passes without implementation of all 50 safety recommendations represents a continued, unacceptable risk to safety,” she said.

Audrey Patel, widow of Flight 5342 passenger Vik Patel, evoked the depth of the loss felt by every family there in their own way. She played a birthday message her husband sent her when they began dating.

“You are such an incredible source of motivation for me, personally. You make me want to be better in, like, every sense and be healthier, be better at work, be a better son, better boyfriend,” he said in the message.

Potomac Crash Apr 14

House approves aviation safety bill based on deadly midair collision near Washington

Potomac Crash Jan 30

Decisions after DCA crash made mission more dangerous and traumatic, some first responders say

Potomac Crash Jan 29

DC divers describe moments after DCA crash and finding victims' possessions for months

She said that’s when she knew she wanted a future with her husband, a future that was cut short two weeks after she learned she was pregnant with the son her husband never got the chance to meet.

In addition to this memorial, the City of Alexandria says it plans to plant 67 trees in memory of those who died on that cold January night.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

It is a place of beauty and peace. A memorial along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia, was dedicated Monday to the 67 people who died in the midair collision in January of last year.

The little grove of trees on a point that juts out into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport contains benches — places of reflection. One now bears a plaque dedicating it to the people, including children, who lost their lives nearby the night of Jan. 29, 2025.

“It takes bravery to be here today,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “It demands courage to move forward in life after an immense tragedy.”

Sheri Lilley is the stepmother of Sam Lilley. He was first officer aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.

“What we have to recall and what this space gives us the opportunity to do is remember they were more than just victims of that accident,” she said. “That day does not define who they were.”

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy made clear her displeasure at congressional measures that would effectively eliminate safety guardrails put into place following the collision between Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“Every day, every day that passes without implementation of all 50 safety recommendations represents a continued, unacceptable risk to safety,” she said.

Audrey Patel, widow of Flight 5342 passenger Vik Patel, evoked the depth of the loss felt by every family there in their own way. She played a birthday message her husband sent her when they began dating.

“You are such an incredible source of motivation for me, personally. You make me want to be better in, like, every sense and be healthier, be better at work, be a better son, better boyfriend,” he said in the message.

Potomac Crash Apr 14

House approves aviation safety bill based on deadly midair collision near Washington

Potomac Crash Jan 30

Decisions after DCA crash made mission more dangerous and traumatic, some first responders say

Potomac Crash Jan 29

DC divers describe moments after DCA crash and finding victims' possessions for months

She said that’s when she knew she wanted a future with her husband, a future that was cut short two weeks after she learned she was pregnant with the son her husband never got the chance to meet.

In addition to this memorial, the City of Alexandria says it plans to plant 67 trees in memory of those who died on that cold January night.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

It is a place of beauty and peace. A memorial along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia, was dedicated Monday to the 67 people who died in the midair collision in January of last year.

The little grove of trees on a point that juts out into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport contains benches — places of reflection. One now bears a plaque dedicating it to the people, including children, who lost their lives nearby the night of Jan. 29, 2025.

“It takes bravery to be here today,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “It demands courage to move forward in life after an immense tragedy.”

Sheri Lilley is the stepmother of Sam Lilley. He was first officer aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.

“What we have to recall and what this space gives us the opportunity to do is remember they were more than just victims of that accident,” she said. “That day does not define who they were.”

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy made clear her displeasure at congressional measures that would effectively eliminate safety guardrails put into place following the collision between Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“Every day, every day that passes without implementation of all 50 safety recommendations represents a continued, unacceptable risk to safety,” she said.

Audrey Patel, widow of Flight 5342 passenger Vik Patel, evoked the depth of the loss felt by every family there in their own way. She played a birthday message her husband sent her when they began dating.

“You are such an incredible source of motivation for me, personally. You make me want to be better in, like, every sense and be healthier, be better at work, be a better son, better boyfriend,” he said in the message.

Potomac Crash Apr 14

House approves aviation safety bill based on deadly midair collision near Washington

Potomac Crash Jan 30

Decisions after DCA crash made mission more dangerous and traumatic, some first responders say

Potomac Crash Jan 29

DC divers describe moments after DCA crash and finding victims' possessions for months

She said that’s when she knew she wanted a future with her husband, a future that was cut short two weeks after she learned she was pregnant with the son her husband never got the chance to meet.

In addition to this memorial, the City of Alexandria says it plans to plant 67 trees in memory of those who died on that cold January night.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

It is a place of beauty and peace. A memorial along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia, was dedicated Monday to the 67 people who died in the midair collision in January of last year.

The little grove of trees on a point that juts out into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport contains benches — places of reflection. One now bears a plaque dedicating it to the people, including children, who lost their lives nearby the night of Jan. 29, 2025.

“It takes bravery to be here today,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “It demands courage to move forward in life after an immense tragedy.”

Sheri Lilley is the stepmother of Sam Lilley. He was first officer aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.

“What we have to recall and what this space gives us the opportunity to do is remember they were more than just victims of that accident,” she said. “That day does not define who they were.”

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy made clear her displeasure at congressional measures that would effectively eliminate safety guardrails put into place following the collision between Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“Every day, every day that passes without implementation of all 50 safety recommendations represents a continued, unacceptable risk to safety,” she said.

Audrey Patel, widow of Flight 5342 passenger Vik Patel, evoked the depth of the loss felt by every family there in their own way. She played a birthday message her husband sent her when they began dating.

“You are such an incredible source of motivation for me, personally. You make me want to be better in, like, every sense and be healthier, be better at work, be a better son, better boyfriend,” he said in the message.

Potomac Crash Apr 14

House approves aviation safety bill based on deadly midair collision near Washington

Potomac Crash Jan 30

Decisions after DCA crash made mission more dangerous and traumatic, some first responders say

Potomac Crash Jan 29

DC divers describe moments after DCA crash and finding victims' possessions for months

She said that’s when she knew she wanted a future with her husband, a future that was cut short two weeks after she learned she was pregnant with the son her husband never got the chance to meet.

In addition to this memorial, the City of Alexandria says it plans to plant 67 trees in memory of those who died on that cold January night.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

It is a place of beauty and peace. A memorial along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia, was dedicated Monday to the 67 people who died in the midair collision in January of last year.

The little grove of trees on a point that juts out into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport contains benches — places of reflection. One now bears a plaque dedicating it to the people, including children, who lost their lives nearby the night of Jan. 29, 2025.

“It takes bravery to be here today,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “It demands courage to move forward in life after an immense tragedy.”

Sheri Lilley is the stepmother of Sam Lilley. He was first officer aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.

“What we have to recall and what this space gives us the opportunity to do is remember they were more than just victims of that accident,” she said. “That day does not define who they were.”

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy made clear her displeasure at congressional measures that would effectively eliminate safety guardrails put into place following the collision between Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“Every day, every day that passes without implementation of all 50 safety recommendations represents a continued, unacceptable risk to safety,” she said.

Audrey Patel, widow of Flight 5342 passenger Vik Patel, evoked the depth of the loss felt by every family there in their own way. She played a birthday message her husband sent her when they began dating.

“You are such an incredible source of motivation for me, personally. You make me want to be better in, like, every sense and be healthier, be better at work, be a better son, better boyfriend,” he said in the message.

Potomac Crash Apr 14

House approves aviation safety bill based on deadly midair collision near Washington

Potomac Crash Jan 30

Decisions after DCA crash made mission more dangerous and traumatic, some first responders say

Potomac Crash Jan 29

DC divers describe moments after DCA crash and finding victims' possessions for months

She said that’s when she knew she wanted a future with her husband, a future that was cut short two weeks after she learned she was pregnant with the son her husband never got the chance to meet.

In addition to this memorial, the City of Alexandria says it plans to plant 67 trees in memory of those who died on that cold January night.

Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.

St. Elizabeths, one of the most historic and infamous landmarks in D.C., has been abandoned and closed to the public for decades.

At the facility originally known as the Government Hospital for the Insane, tens of thousands of patients were treated over the course of its 150 years. It’s also where one doctor did much of his research that would lead to his promoting the use of lobotomies to cure mental illness.

News4 was able to get exclusive access to the some of the buildings on the campus of St. Elizabeths in Southeast D.C., including the infamous autopsy theater.

It took more than a year to get permission to go inside.

The 180-acre campus has an incredible history, not just for Washington, D.C., but the nation. It was the first federal facility built specifically to treat mental illness, and while segregated, it treated Black and white people during and after the Civil War.

The laboratory where Dr. Walter Freeman performed thousands of autopsies on patients who had died at St. Elizabeths in the 1920s and 30s is amazingly still intact. Freeman would go on to perform thousands of lobotomies — most notably on Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy. The procedure was discontinued in the 1950s.

On the East Campus of St. Elizabeths, dozens of still-empty historic buildings stand waiting for their turn to be rehabilitated and repurposed, just steps from the CareFirst Arena and the portion of the campus that has already been revitalized.

But for block after block of once impressive-looking buildings, time has stood still.

Building P: Deteriorating hallways, atriums for fresh air

Building P is marked by a crumbling façade, with windows boarded up and shattered. Flashlights lead the way through the darkened and forgotten hallways, which doctors, nurses and patients once bustled through.

Stairwells are littered with decades of neglect; abandoned hallways are lined the with rusted caged doorways.

At times, it felt like ghosts were walking the darkened hallways, passing the rooms in which, years ago, patients lived and died.

Sunlight now breaks through the ceiling.

Through a door is one of the many sprawling screened atriums. They were originally designed for patients to relax in, as doctors believed fresh air could cure some mental illnesses. But in times of overcrowding, these atriums became filled with patient beds.

The rooms and halls still are clinging to the original pastel blues and yellows that once adorned the interiors. Bathroom stalls are still in place, with more pastel colors.

Inside the notorious Blackburn Laboratory

Even the exterior of the Blackburn Building gives off an eerie feel of solitude and foreboding.

Our first stop was the lecture room. Then it was down the hall to the chemistry room, where both time and vandals have taken their toll.

A narrow makeshift staircase goes up to the attic. Down yet another deserted hallway, the solid wood doors break the din of silence — room after room offering glimpses into the building’s past.

Research stemming from autopsies at St. Elizabeths led doctor to develop transorbital lobotomies

Dr. Walter J. Freeman was an early and vocal advocate of surgical treatment for mental illness. A noted physician and scientist and the first chair of the Department of Neurology at The George Washington University, Freeman began his early research into mental illness at St. Elizabeths.

In 1924, at age 28, he began working at the hospital, where performed thousands of autopsies on mental patients who had died there. 

Freeman left St. Elizabeths in 1933 and, three years later, would go on to perform the first prefrontal lobotomy in the United States at GW. Freeman later developed his transorbital lobotomy technique, known as “the icepick method.”

In 1941, Freeman would perform probably the most notorious lobotomy in American history: on Rosemary Kennedy, the 23-year-old sister of future President John F. Kennedy. The procedure left the eldest Kennedy sister mentally and physically disabled, barely able to walk and talk. Her personality was permanently changed by the procedure.

Freeman performed more than 3,000 prefrontal and transorbital lobotomies between 1930 and 1960, often before large audiences and reporters.

The widespread use of lobotomies would fall out of favor as patient outcomes failed to live up to expectations, coupled with public perception and the advancement of antipsychotic medications to treat mental illness. Freeman’s reputation deteriorated as well.

The Journal of Neurosurgery summed up Freeman’s contributions to medical science, writing, “The field of psychosurgery was founded on Walter Freeman’s contributions, and his legacy remains ingrained in the collective consciousness of those who seek to treat mental disorders with neurosurgical interventions. His contributions to the field were prescient, but his incautious methods ultimately contributed to his decline in reputation.”

Autopsy theater: Calling cards from trespassers, forgotten files

Our last stop, in the basement, was the infamous autopsy theater, where Freeman performed thousands of autopsies and developed his theories that would lead to the proliferation of lobotomies across the country.

The once state-of-the-art operating room now is a canvass for trespassers’ graffiti.

A rusted file cabinet littered with the slides likely from brain cells each from a patient who once lived and died here at St. Elizabeths, years of scientific research now scattered across the floor.

This is the refrigerator here and the more where they kept the bodies still functional, still intact.
The place that this room holds in our nation’s history, particularly when we talk about mental health.

Congress changed the name of the facility to St. Elizabeths Hospital in 1916. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

What will happen to these buildings?

A portion of the campus has already been revitalized. Eventually, the plan is for all the historic buildings to be restored.

Building P is expected to become a community hub, housing nonprofits. The Blackburn Building will be lifted up and moved before being restored. It may be turned into a museum of some sort.

See Part 2 here: How crumbling buildings at DC’s old mental hospital will be revived and repurposed

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Washington DC Sep 4, 2024

DC plans for next phase of St. Elizabeths redevelopment

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

St. Elizabeths, one of the most historic and infamous landmarks in D.C., has been abandoned and closed to the public for decades.

At the facility originally known as the Government Hospital for the Insane, tens of thousands of patients were treated over the course of its 150 years. It’s also where one doctor did much of his research that would lead to his promoting the use of lobotomies to cure mental illness.

News4 was able to get exclusive access to the some of the buildings on the campus of St. Elizabeths in Southeast D.C., including the infamous autopsy theater.

It took more than a year to get permission to go inside.

The 180-acre campus has an incredible history, not just for Washington, D.C., but the nation. It was the first federal facility built specifically to treat mental illness, and while segregated, it treated Black and white people during and after the Civil War.

The laboratory where Dr. Walter Freeman performed thousands of autopsies on patients who had died at St. Elizabeths in the 1920s and 30s is amazingly still intact. Freeman would go on to perform thousands of lobotomies — most notably on Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy. The procedure was discontinued in the 1950s.

On the East Campus of St. Elizabeths, dozens of still-empty historic buildings stand waiting for their turn to be rehabilitated and repurposed, just steps from the CareFirst Arena and the portion of the campus that has already been revitalized.

But for block after block of once impressive-looking buildings, time has stood still.

Building P: Deteriorating hallways, atriums for fresh air

Building P is marked by a crumbling façade, with windows boarded up and shattered. Flashlights lead the way through the darkened and forgotten hallways, which doctors, nurses and patients once bustled through.

Stairwells are littered with decades of neglect; abandoned hallways are lined the with rusted caged doorways.

At times, it felt like ghosts were walking the darkened hallways, passing the rooms in which, years ago, patients lived and died.

Sunlight now breaks through the ceiling.

Through a door is one of the many sprawling screened atriums. They were originally designed for patients to relax in, as doctors believed fresh air could cure some mental illnesses. But in times of overcrowding, these atriums became filled with patient beds.

The rooms and halls still are clinging to the original pastel blues and yellows that once adorned the interiors. Bathroom stalls are still in place, with more pastel colors.

Inside the notorious Blackburn Laboratory

Even the exterior of the Blackburn Building gives off an eerie feel of solitude and foreboding.

Our first stop was the lecture room. Then it was down the hall to the chemistry room, where both time and vandals have taken their toll.

A narrow makeshift staircase goes up to the attic. Down yet another deserted hallway, the solid wood doors break the din of silence — room after room offering glimpses into the building’s past.

Research stemming from autopsies at St. Elizabeths led doctor to develop transorbital lobotomies

Dr. Walter J. Freeman was an early and vocal advocate of surgical treatment for mental illness. A noted physician and scientist and the first chair of the Department of Neurology at The George Washington University, Freeman began his early research into mental illness at St. Elizabeths.

In 1924, at age 28, he began working at the hospital, where performed thousands of autopsies on mental patients who had died there. 

Freeman left St. Elizabeths in 1933 and, three years later, would go on to perform the first prefrontal lobotomy in the United States at GW. Freeman later developed his transorbital lobotomy technique, known as “the icepick method.”

In 1941, Freeman would perform probably the most notorious lobotomy in American history: on Rosemary Kennedy, the 23-year-old sister of future President John F. Kennedy. The procedure left the eldest Kennedy sister mentally and physically disabled, barely able to walk and talk. Her personality was permanently changed by the procedure.

Freeman performed more than 3,000 prefrontal and transorbital lobotomies between 1930 and 1960, often before large audiences and reporters.

The widespread use of lobotomies would fall out of favor as patient outcomes failed to live up to expectations, coupled with public perception and the advancement of antipsychotic medications to treat mental illness. Freeman’s reputation deteriorated as well.

The Journal of Neurosurgery summed up Freeman’s contributions to medical science, writing, “The field of psychosurgery was founded on Walter Freeman’s contributions, and his legacy remains ingrained in the collective consciousness of those who seek to treat mental disorders with neurosurgical interventions. His contributions to the field were prescient, but his incautious methods ultimately contributed to his decline in reputation.”

Autopsy theater: Calling cards from trespassers, forgotten files

Our last stop, in the basement, was the infamous autopsy theater, where Freeman performed thousands of autopsies and developed his theories that would lead to the proliferation of lobotomies across the country.

The once state-of-the-art operating room now is a canvass for trespassers’ graffiti.

A rusted file cabinet littered with the slides likely from brain cells each from a patient who once lived and died here at St. Elizabeths, years of scientific research now scattered across the floor.

This is the refrigerator here and the more where they kept the bodies still functional, still intact.
The place that this room holds in our nation’s history, particularly when we talk about mental health.

Congress changed the name of the facility to St. Elizabeths Hospital in 1916. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

What will happen to these buildings?

A portion of the campus has already been revitalized. Eventually, the plan is for all the historic buildings to be restored.

Building P is expected to become a community hub, housing nonprofits. The Blackburn Building will be lifted up and moved before being restored. It may be turned into a museum of some sort.

See Part 2 here: How crumbling buildings at DC’s old mental hospital will be revived and repurposed

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Washington DC Sep 4, 2024

DC plans for next phase of St. Elizabeths redevelopment

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

St. Elizabeths, one of the most historic and infamous landmarks in D.C., has been abandoned and closed to the public for decades.

At the facility originally known as the Government Hospital for the Insane, tens of thousands of patients were treated over the course of its 150 years. It’s also where one doctor did much of his research that would lead to his promoting the use of lobotomies to cure mental illness.

News4 was able to get exclusive access to the some of the buildings on the campus of St. Elizabeths in Southeast D.C., including the infamous autopsy theater.

It took more than a year to get permission to go inside.

The 180-acre campus has an incredible history, not just for Washington, D.C., but the nation. It was the first federal facility built specifically to treat mental illness, and while segregated, it treated Black and white people during and after the Civil War.

The laboratory where Dr. Walter Freeman performed thousands of autopsies on patients who had died at St. Elizabeths in the 1920s and 30s is amazingly still intact. Freeman would go on to perform thousands of lobotomies — most notably on Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy. The procedure was discontinued in the 1950s.

On the East Campus of St. Elizabeths, dozens of still-empty historic buildings stand waiting for their turn to be rehabilitated and repurposed, just steps from the CareFirst Arena and the portion of the campus that has already been revitalized.

But for block after block of once impressive-looking buildings, time has stood still.

Building P: Deteriorating hallways, atriums for fresh air

Building P is marked by a crumbling façade, with windows boarded up and shattered. Flashlights lead the way through the darkened and forgotten hallways, which doctors, nurses and patients once bustled through.

Stairwells are littered with decades of neglect; abandoned hallways are lined the with rusted caged doorways.

At times, it felt like ghosts were walking the darkened hallways, passing the rooms in which, years ago, patients lived and died.

Sunlight now breaks through the ceiling.

Through a door is one of the many sprawling screened atriums. They were originally designed for patients to relax in, as doctors believed fresh air could cure some mental illnesses. But in times of overcrowding, these atriums became filled with patient beds.

The rooms and halls still are clinging to the original pastel blues and yellows that once adorned the interiors. Bathroom stalls are still in place, with more pastel colors.

Inside the notorious Blackburn Laboratory

Even the exterior of the Blackburn Building gives off an eerie feel of solitude and foreboding.

Our first stop was the lecture room. Then it was down the hall to the chemistry room, where both time and vandals have taken their toll.

A narrow makeshift staircase goes up to the attic. Down yet another deserted hallway, the solid wood doors break the din of silence — room after room offering glimpses into the building’s past.

Research stemming from autopsies at St. Elizabeths led doctor to develop transorbital lobotomies

Dr. Walter J. Freeman was an early and vocal advocate of surgical treatment for mental illness. A noted physician and scientist and the first chair of the Department of Neurology at The George Washington University, Freeman began his early research into mental illness at St. Elizabeths.

In 1924, at age 28, he began working at the hospital, where performed thousands of autopsies on mental patients who had died there. 

Freeman left St. Elizabeths in 1933 and, three years later, would go on to perform the first prefrontal lobotomy in the United States at GW. Freeman later developed his transorbital lobotomy technique, known as “the icepick method.”

In 1941, Freeman would perform probably the most notorious lobotomy in American history: on Rosemary Kennedy, the 23-year-old sister of future President John F. Kennedy. The procedure left the eldest Kennedy sister mentally and physically disabled, barely able to walk and talk. Her personality was permanently changed by the procedure.

Freeman performed more than 3,000 prefrontal and transorbital lobotomies between 1930 and 1960, often before large audiences and reporters.

The widespread use of lobotomies would fall out of favor as patient outcomes failed to live up to expectations, coupled with public perception and the advancement of antipsychotic medications to treat mental illness. Freeman’s reputation deteriorated as well.

The Journal of Neurosurgery summed up Freeman’s contributions to medical science, writing, “The field of psychosurgery was founded on Walter Freeman’s contributions, and his legacy remains ingrained in the collective consciousness of those who seek to treat mental disorders with neurosurgical interventions. His contributions to the field were prescient, but his incautious methods ultimately contributed to his decline in reputation.”

Autopsy theater: Calling cards from trespassers, forgotten files

Our last stop, in the basement, was the infamous autopsy theater, where Freeman performed thousands of autopsies and developed his theories that would lead to the proliferation of lobotomies across the country.

The once state-of-the-art operating room now is a canvass for trespassers’ graffiti.

A rusted file cabinet littered with the slides likely from brain cells each from a patient who once lived and died here at St. Elizabeths, years of scientific research now scattered across the floor.

This is the refrigerator here and the more where they kept the bodies still functional, still intact.
The place that this room holds in our nation’s history, particularly when we talk about mental health.

Congress changed the name of the facility to St. Elizabeths Hospital in 1916. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

What will happen to these buildings?

A portion of the campus has already been revitalized. Eventually, the plan is for all the historic buildings to be restored.

Building P is expected to become a community hub, housing nonprofits. The Blackburn Building will be lifted up and moved before being restored. It may be turned into a museum of some sort.

See Part 2 here: How crumbling buildings at DC’s old mental hospital will be revived and repurposed

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Washington DC Sep 4, 2024

DC plans for next phase of St. Elizabeths redevelopment

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

St. Elizabeths, one of the most historic and infamous landmarks in D.C., has been abandoned and closed to the public for decades.

At the facility originally known as the Government Hospital for the Insane, tens of thousands of patients were treated over the course of its 150 years. It’s also where one doctor did much of his research that would lead to his promoting the use of lobotomies to cure mental illness.

News4 was able to get exclusive access to the some of the buildings on the campus of St. Elizabeths in Southeast D.C., including the infamous autopsy theater.

It took more than a year to get permission to go inside.

The 180-acre campus has an incredible history, not just for Washington, D.C., but the nation. It was the first federal facility built specifically to treat mental illness, and while segregated, it treated Black and white people during and after the Civil War.

The laboratory where Dr. Walter Freeman performed thousands of autopsies on patients who had died at St. Elizabeths in the 1920s and 30s is amazingly still intact. Freeman would go on to perform thousands of lobotomies — most notably on Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy. The procedure was discontinued in the 1950s.

On the East Campus of St. Elizabeths, dozens of still-empty historic buildings stand waiting for their turn to be rehabilitated and repurposed, just steps from the CareFirst Arena and the portion of the campus that has already been revitalized.

But for block after block of once impressive-looking buildings, time has stood still.

Building P: Deteriorating hallways, atriums for fresh air

Building P is marked by a crumbling façade, with windows boarded up and shattered. Flashlights lead the way through the darkened and forgotten hallways, which doctors, nurses and patients once bustled through.

Stairwells are littered with decades of neglect; abandoned hallways are lined the with rusted caged doorways.

At times, it felt like ghosts were walking the darkened hallways, passing the rooms in which, years ago, patients lived and died.

Sunlight now breaks through the ceiling.

Through a door is one of the many sprawling screened atriums. They were originally designed for patients to relax in, as doctors believed fresh air could cure some mental illnesses. But in times of overcrowding, these atriums became filled with patient beds.

The rooms and halls still are clinging to the original pastel blues and yellows that once adorned the interiors. Bathroom stalls are still in place, with more pastel colors.

Inside the notorious Blackburn Laboratory

Even the exterior of the Blackburn Building gives off an eerie feel of solitude and foreboding.

Our first stop was the lecture room. Then it was down the hall to the chemistry room, where both time and vandals have taken their toll.

A narrow makeshift staircase goes up to the attic. Down yet another deserted hallway, the solid wood doors break the din of silence — room after room offering glimpses into the building’s past.

Research stemming from autopsies at St. Elizabeths led doctor to develop transorbital lobotomies

Dr. Walter J. Freeman was an early and vocal advocate of surgical treatment for mental illness. A noted physician and scientist and the first chair of the Department of Neurology at The George Washington University, Freeman began his early research into mental illness at St. Elizabeths.

In 1924, at age 28, he began working at the hospital, where performed thousands of autopsies on mental patients who had died there. 

Freeman left St. Elizabeths in 1933 and, three years later, would go on to perform the first prefrontal lobotomy in the United States at GW. Freeman later developed his transorbital lobotomy technique, known as “the icepick method.”

In 1941, Freeman would perform probably the most notorious lobotomy in American history: on Rosemary Kennedy, the 23-year-old sister of future President John F. Kennedy. The procedure left the eldest Kennedy sister mentally and physically disabled, barely able to walk and talk. Her personality was permanently changed by the procedure.

Freeman performed more than 3,000 prefrontal and transorbital lobotomies between 1930 and 1960, often before large audiences and reporters.

The widespread use of lobotomies would fall out of favor as patient outcomes failed to live up to expectations, coupled with public perception and the advancement of antipsychotic medications to treat mental illness. Freeman’s reputation deteriorated as well.

The Journal of Neurosurgery summed up Freeman’s contributions to medical science, writing, “The field of psychosurgery was founded on Walter Freeman’s contributions, and his legacy remains ingrained in the collective consciousness of those who seek to treat mental disorders with neurosurgical interventions. His contributions to the field were prescient, but his incautious methods ultimately contributed to his decline in reputation.”

Autopsy theater: Calling cards from trespassers, forgotten files

Our last stop, in the basement, was the infamous autopsy theater, where Freeman performed thousands of autopsies and developed his theories that would lead to the proliferation of lobotomies across the country.

The once state-of-the-art operating room now is a canvass for trespassers’ graffiti.

A rusted file cabinet littered with the slides likely from brain cells each from a patient who once lived and died here at St. Elizabeths, years of scientific research now scattered across the floor.

This is the refrigerator here and the more where they kept the bodies still functional, still intact.
The place that this room holds in our nation’s history, particularly when we talk about mental health.

Congress changed the name of the facility to St. Elizabeths Hospital in 1916. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

What will happen to these buildings?

A portion of the campus has already been revitalized. Eventually, the plan is for all the historic buildings to be restored.

Building P is expected to become a community hub, housing nonprofits. The Blackburn Building will be lifted up and moved before being restored. It may be turned into a museum of some sort.

See Part 2 here: How crumbling buildings at DC’s old mental hospital will be revived and repurposed

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Washington DC Sep 4, 2024

DC plans for next phase of St. Elizabeths redevelopment

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

St. Elizabeths, one of the most historic and infamous landmarks in D.C., has been abandoned and closed to the public for decades.

At the facility originally known as the Government Hospital for the Insane, tens of thousands of patients were treated over the course of its 150 years. It’s also where one doctor did much of his research that would lead to his promoting the use of lobotomies to cure mental illness.

News4 was able to get exclusive access to the some of the buildings on the campus of St. Elizabeths in Southeast D.C., including the infamous autopsy theater.

It took more than a year to get permission to go inside.

The 180-acre campus has an incredible history, not just for Washington, D.C., but the nation. It was the first federal facility built specifically to treat mental illness, and while segregated, it treated Black and white people during and after the Civil War.

The laboratory where Dr. Walter Freeman performed thousands of autopsies on patients who had died at St. Elizabeths in the 1920s and 30s is amazingly still intact. Freeman would go on to perform thousands of lobotomies — most notably on Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy. The procedure was discontinued in the 1950s.

On the East Campus of St. Elizabeths, dozens of still-empty historic buildings stand waiting for their turn to be rehabilitated and repurposed, just steps from the CareFirst Arena and the portion of the campus that has already been revitalized.

But for block after block of once impressive-looking buildings, time has stood still.

Building P: Deteriorating hallways, atriums for fresh air

Building P is marked by a crumbling façade, with windows boarded up and shattered. Flashlights lead the way through the darkened and forgotten hallways, which doctors, nurses and patients once bustled through.

Stairwells are littered with decades of neglect; abandoned hallways are lined the with rusted caged doorways.

At times, it felt like ghosts were walking the darkened hallways, passing the rooms in which, years ago, patients lived and died.

Sunlight now breaks through the ceiling.

Through a door is one of the many sprawling screened atriums. They were originally designed for patients to relax in, as doctors believed fresh air could cure some mental illnesses. But in times of overcrowding, these atriums became filled with patient beds.

The rooms and halls still are clinging to the original pastel blues and yellows that once adorned the interiors. Bathroom stalls are still in place, with more pastel colors.

Inside the notorious Blackburn Laboratory

Even the exterior of the Blackburn Building gives off an eerie feel of solitude and foreboding.

Our first stop was the lecture room. Then it was down the hall to the chemistry room, where both time and vandals have taken their toll.

A narrow makeshift staircase goes up to the attic. Down yet another deserted hallway, the solid wood doors break the din of silence — room after room offering glimpses into the building’s past.

Research stemming from autopsies at St. Elizabeths led doctor to develop transorbital lobotomies

Dr. Walter J. Freeman was an early and vocal advocate of surgical treatment for mental illness. A noted physician and scientist and the first chair of the Department of Neurology at The George Washington University, Freeman began his early research into mental illness at St. Elizabeths.

In 1924, at age 28, he began working at the hospital, where performed thousands of autopsies on mental patients who had died there. 

Freeman left St. Elizabeths in 1933 and, three years later, would go on to perform the first prefrontal lobotomy in the United States at GW. Freeman later developed his transorbital lobotomy technique, known as “the icepick method.”

In 1941, Freeman would perform probably the most notorious lobotomy in American history: on Rosemary Kennedy, the 23-year-old sister of future President John F. Kennedy. The procedure left the eldest Kennedy sister mentally and physically disabled, barely able to walk and talk. Her personality was permanently changed by the procedure.

Freeman performed more than 3,000 prefrontal and transorbital lobotomies between 1930 and 1960, often before large audiences and reporters.

The widespread use of lobotomies would fall out of favor as patient outcomes failed to live up to expectations, coupled with public perception and the advancement of antipsychotic medications to treat mental illness. Freeman’s reputation deteriorated as well.

The Journal of Neurosurgery summed up Freeman’s contributions to medical science, writing, “The field of psychosurgery was founded on Walter Freeman’s contributions, and his legacy remains ingrained in the collective consciousness of those who seek to treat mental disorders with neurosurgical interventions. His contributions to the field were prescient, but his incautious methods ultimately contributed to his decline in reputation.”

Autopsy theater: Calling cards from trespassers, forgotten files

Our last stop, in the basement, was the infamous autopsy theater, where Freeman performed thousands of autopsies and developed his theories that would lead to the proliferation of lobotomies across the country.

The once state-of-the-art operating room now is a canvass for trespassers’ graffiti.

A rusted file cabinet littered with the slides likely from brain cells each from a patient who once lived and died here at St. Elizabeths, years of scientific research now scattered across the floor.

This is the refrigerator here and the more where they kept the bodies still functional, still intact.
The place that this room holds in our nation’s history, particularly when we talk about mental health.

Congress changed the name of the facility to St. Elizabeths Hospital in 1916. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

What will happen to these buildings?

A portion of the campus has already been revitalized. Eventually, the plan is for all the historic buildings to be restored.

Building P is expected to become a community hub, housing nonprofits. The Blackburn Building will be lifted up and moved before being restored. It may be turned into a museum of some sort.

See Part 2 here: How crumbling buildings at DC’s old mental hospital will be revived and repurposed

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Washington DC Sep 4, 2024

DC plans for next phase of St. Elizabeths redevelopment

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

St. Elizabeths, one of the most historic and infamous landmarks in D.C., has been abandoned and closed to the public for decades.

At the facility originally known as the Government Hospital for the Insane, tens of thousands of patients were treated over the course of its 150 years. It’s also where one doctor did much of his research that would lead to his promoting the use of lobotomies to cure mental illness.

News4 was able to get exclusive access to the some of the buildings on the campus of St. Elizabeths in Southeast D.C., including the infamous autopsy theater.

It took more than a year to get permission to go inside.

The 180-acre campus has an incredible history, not just for Washington, D.C., but the nation. It was the first federal facility built specifically to treat mental illness, and while segregated, it treated Black and white people during and after the Civil War.

The laboratory where Dr. Walter Freeman performed thousands of autopsies on patients who had died at St. Elizabeths in the 1920s and 30s is amazingly still intact. Freeman would go on to perform thousands of lobotomies — most notably on Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy. The procedure was discontinued in the 1950s.

On the East Campus of St. Elizabeths, dozens of still-empty historic buildings stand waiting for their turn to be rehabilitated and repurposed, just steps from the CareFirst Arena and the portion of the campus that has already been revitalized.

But for block after block of once impressive-looking buildings, time has stood still.

Building P: Deteriorating hallways, atriums for fresh air

Building P is marked by a crumbling façade, with windows boarded up and shattered. Flashlights lead the way through the darkened and forgotten hallways, which doctors, nurses and patients once bustled through.

Stairwells are littered with decades of neglect; abandoned hallways are lined the with rusted caged doorways.

At times, it felt like ghosts were walking the darkened hallways, passing the rooms in which, years ago, patients lived and died.

Sunlight now breaks through the ceiling.

Through a door is one of the many sprawling screened atriums. They were originally designed for patients to relax in, as doctors believed fresh air could cure some mental illnesses. But in times of overcrowding, these atriums became filled with patient beds.

The rooms and halls still are clinging to the original pastel blues and yellows that once adorned the interiors. Bathroom stalls are still in place, with more pastel colors.

Inside the notorious Blackburn Laboratory

Even the exterior of the Blackburn Building gives off an eerie feel of solitude and foreboding.

Our first stop was the lecture room. Then it was down the hall to the chemistry room, where both time and vandals have taken their toll.

A narrow makeshift staircase goes up to the attic. Down yet another deserted hallway, the solid wood doors break the din of silence — room after room offering glimpses into the building’s past.

Research stemming from autopsies at St. Elizabeths led doctor to develop transorbital lobotomies

Dr. Walter J. Freeman was an early and vocal advocate of surgical treatment for mental illness. A noted physician and scientist and the first chair of the Department of Neurology at The George Washington University, Freeman began his early research into mental illness at St. Elizabeths.

In 1924, at age 28, he began working at the hospital, where performed thousands of autopsies on mental patients who had died there. 

Freeman left St. Elizabeths in 1933 and, three years later, would go on to perform the first prefrontal lobotomy in the United States at GW. Freeman later developed his transorbital lobotomy technique, known as “the icepick method.”

In 1941, Freeman would perform probably the most notorious lobotomy in American history: on Rosemary Kennedy, the 23-year-old sister of future President John F. Kennedy. The procedure left the eldest Kennedy sister mentally and physically disabled, barely able to walk and talk. Her personality was permanently changed by the procedure.

Freeman performed more than 3,000 prefrontal and transorbital lobotomies between 1930 and 1960, often before large audiences and reporters.

The widespread use of lobotomies would fall out of favor as patient outcomes failed to live up to expectations, coupled with public perception and the advancement of antipsychotic medications to treat mental illness. Freeman’s reputation deteriorated as well.

The Journal of Neurosurgery summed up Freeman’s contributions to medical science, writing, “The field of psychosurgery was founded on Walter Freeman’s contributions, and his legacy remains ingrained in the collective consciousness of those who seek to treat mental disorders with neurosurgical interventions. His contributions to the field were prescient, but his incautious methods ultimately contributed to his decline in reputation.”

Autopsy theater: Calling cards from trespassers, forgotten files

Our last stop, in the basement, was the infamous autopsy theater, where Freeman performed thousands of autopsies and developed his theories that would lead to the proliferation of lobotomies across the country.

The once state-of-the-art operating room now is a canvass for trespassers’ graffiti.

A rusted file cabinet littered with the slides likely from brain cells each from a patient who once lived and died here at St. Elizabeths, years of scientific research now scattered across the floor.

This is the refrigerator here and the more where they kept the bodies still functional, still intact.
The place that this room holds in our nation’s history, particularly when we talk about mental health.

Congress changed the name of the facility to St. Elizabeths Hospital in 1916. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

What will happen to these buildings?

A portion of the campus has already been revitalized. Eventually, the plan is for all the historic buildings to be restored.

Building P is expected to become a community hub, housing nonprofits. The Blackburn Building will be lifted up and moved before being restored. It may be turned into a museum of some sort.

See Part 2 here: How crumbling buildings at DC’s old mental hospital will be revived and repurposed

Written by Mark Segraves. Shot by Carlos Olazagasti. Video edited by Perkins Broussard.

Washington DC Sep 4, 2024

DC plans for next phase of St. Elizabeths redevelopment

Washington DC Aug 23, 2023

New health care facility opens at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast DC

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Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Water in the Potomac is seen on March 05, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. On Wednesday President of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network announced the health advisory was lifted and shared a statement on a proposed remediation plan by D.C. authorities.

File photo

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., walks from the chamber to his office at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen following a media tour intended to show building damage, April 22, 2026, in Washington.

FILE: A dozen donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: National guardsmen walk near the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues ahead of America’s 250th event celebrations. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Marjane Satrapi poses during the 6th “Pluriel.les” Festival – Day One on March 06, 2023 in Compiegne, France.

Mirsy Maricela Alva Lopez, a Guatemalan migrant who has been separated from her son Ederson twice, cries during an interview at her parents’ house in San Martín Cuchumatán, Guatemala, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in Washington.

Cardinal Robert Walter Mcelroy attends a press conference of U.S. cardinals, a day after the new pope’s election, at the North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025.

Cranes work on the construction of a structure on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2026, for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn. (Photo by Anne Lebreton / AFP via Getty Images)

FILE – The company logo is shown on the grille of an unsold 2026 F-series pickup truck on the lot of a Ford dealership Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Littleton, Colo.

File photo: General view inside the stadium during the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign at Audi Field on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)

George Santos, former Representative from New York, exits federal court in Central Islip, New York, US, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Former US Representative George Santos, a onetime rising Republican star who falsely claimed to have worked for Goldman Sachs Group Inc. before running for Congress, was ordered to serve seven years and three months in prison for stealing campaign funds. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rebecca Bennett, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, holds her daughter Rosie, alongside her husband Alex Hydrean and daughter Millie during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bridgewater, N.J.

FBI agents respond after a man barricaded himself inside a building with hostages Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Bakersfield, Calif.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) CEO of Strauss Media Strategies Richard Strauss, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kerry Kennedy (blonde), daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Boston Globe DC Bureau Chief Jackie Kucinich (redhead), and Shadow US Senator DC Paul Strauss hide under tables after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, was evacuated from the Washington Hilton after what sounded like gunfire. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)