A shooting, which occurred around 3:30 am on Thursday, left a total of five people injured and one woman declared dead by Washington, D.C. Police. The crime was described as an exchange of gunfire, according to NBC Washington reporter, Darcy Spencer, and took place inside a Days Inn Hotel on Connecticut Avenue, only ten minutes away from the American University campus.
The crime scene and those involved are still undergoing investigation, but so far it was revealed that the shooting developed during a party happening inside a hotel room. No information about who was responsible for this incident has been released.
The same NBC reporter interviewed a woman who works in the area where the shooting occured, and she described seeing a “person on a gurney coming out of the hotel getting put into an ambulance that then got escorted by a police officer. As I was locking up my bike, more and more cops just kept coming.”
According to Second District Commander Duncan Bedlion, this is not the first time Days Inn Hotel has been involved in criminal activity. “We receive complaints related to drug activity and that’s something we actively work to address with the community,” Bedlion said.
Through an email, American University Police urged students, staff and faculty to call AUPD at 202-885-3636, if a member of the community witnesses any suspicious activity. The following safety tips were included in the police department’s email:
- Download RAVE Guardian Safety App using your AU username and password.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Use lighted walkways and thoroughfares.
- Travel in groups at night whenever possible, especially when walking.
- Identify safe havens along your paths of travel where you can seek shelter, if needed.
Although the app Noonlight was not mentioned, the Her Campus American team would recommend that students, especially those who are female-presenting, download this platform. Noonlight, available for both IOS and Android, is a safety app that alerts emergency services and tracks a user’s location when they are in a threatening situation.
After setting up a profile, users will be directed to a blue screen with a white button in the middle that reads “hold until safe.” Ten seconds after the button is pressed, emergency personnel will call and ask if the individual is in fact threatened.