My OperaGunfire, Monday Evening, 900 Block M
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 1:48:34 PM
The editor was asleep, then heard what sounded like four gunshots, not evenly spaced, several houses away. Then three more farther away a bit later. Having lived here too long, he thought serious firecrackers and went back to sleep. The folks at the Whitman didn't.
Lisa Amore wites:
Hi all.
No.. that was not fireworks that you might have heard at around 10:50pm tonight. It was gunfire.
I heard 2 shots as I was walking in my door from just coming inside with Bruno. I quickly heard about 4-5 more shots, and leaped to the window as I was grabbing my phone to call 9-1-1.
I witnessed a guy in a black hoodie and black pants on foot, and another guy on a bike. They were moving relatively quickly, but not necessary running or taking off on the bike. The shots that I witnessed took place right near the tree in the grassy expanse directly across from The Whitman front door. They then proceeded towards 10th St.and Blagden Alley (where my neighbor...says that they divided.) Within about a minute, there was yet more gunfire, most likely from a semi-automatic weapon (per another neighbor), as the gunfire was much quicker. This seemed to happen further North and West of us.... possibly in the direction of 10 and N Sts...
When the cops finally arrived, they were concentrating at the corner of 9th and M St's in front of the Convention Center, possibly where someone else was hit. [Name deleted] on the 1st Flr. said that he saw the shooter(s) running from down M St. toward where I had seen them... but turned and shooting toward the Convention Center.
The cops cordoned off the grassy area with police tape, and found at least 6 bullet casings, but no blood, and no evidence of anyone being wounded at that location.
It would be great if we cound find out more information about this if possible, to share with the rest of the folks in the building. A lot of people came out front / outside, when I was back down there explaining to the cops where they should look for the casings. Everyone was greatly concerned.
And later:
A friend, neighbor and ABC7 reporter convinced me to go downstairs and give a statement to the detective.
In so doing, we found out the following:
From what the detectives can tell, amazingly - no one was hit. There are no traces of blood anywhere.
In a strange coincidence, the ambulance on the SE corner of 9th and M St's at the time of the shooting was actually treating someone for a completely different circumstance, and they had simply not left the scene yet. However... the cameras on the Conv. Center did catch suspects on camera shooting at other people at the corner of 9th and M, and the people who were being shot at in that incident fled down 9th St. The cops then found bullet casings on both sides of M St. Bullets apparently hit a jeep that was parked in front of Whitman unit #120. Two more vehicles (a VW and a Volvo) were hit as they were parked in front of 911 M St, across the street. The majority of the casings, however, were found in the grassy area and on the sidewalk directly across from the front door of The Whitman. Finally, they did also tell us that there was a report of gunshots fired at 13th and N St's.
At present, the investigation is obviously still ongoing, and they have no suspects yet.
Lisa Amore wites:
Hi all.
No.. that was not fireworks that you might have heard at around 10:50pm tonight. It was gunfire.
I heard 2 shots as I was walking in my door from just coming inside with Bruno. I quickly heard about 4-5 more shots, and leaped to the window as I was grabbing my phone to call 9-1-1.
I witnessed a guy in a black hoodie and black pants on foot, and another guy on a bike. They were moving relatively quickly, but not necessary running or taking off on the bike. The shots that I witnessed took place right near the tree in the grassy expanse directly across from The Whitman front door. They then proceeded towards 10th St.and Blagden Alley (where my neighbor...says that they divided.) Within about a minute, there was yet more gunfire, most likely from a semi-automatic weapon (per another neighbor), as the gunfire was much quicker. This seemed to happen further North and West of us.... possibly in the direction of 10 and N Sts...
When the cops finally arrived, they were concentrating at the corner of 9th and M St's in front of the Convention Center, possibly where someone else was hit. [Name deleted] on the 1st Flr. said that he saw the shooter(s) running from down M St. toward where I had seen them... but turned and shooting toward the Convention Center.
The cops cordoned off the grassy area with police tape, and found at least 6 bullet casings, but no blood, and no evidence of anyone being wounded at that location.
It would be great if we cound find out more information about this if possible, to share with the rest of the folks in the building. A lot of people came out front / outside, when I was back down there explaining to the cops where they should look for the casings. Everyone was greatly concerned.
And later:
A friend, neighbor and ABC7 reporter convinced me to go downstairs and give a statement to the detective.
In so doing, we found out the following:
From what the detectives can tell, amazingly - no one was hit. There are no traces of blood anywhere.
In a strange coincidence, the ambulance on the SE corner of 9th and M St's at the time of the shooting was actually treating someone for a completely different circumstance, and they had simply not left the scene yet. However... the cameras on the Conv. Center did catch suspects on camera shooting at other people at the corner of 9th and M, and the people who were being shot at in that incident fled down 9th St. The cops then found bullet casings on both sides of M St. Bullets apparently hit a jeep that was parked in front of Whitman unit #120. Two more vehicles (a VW and a Volvo) were hit as they were parked in front of 911 M St, across the street. The majority of the casings, however, were found in the grassy area and on the sidewalk directly across from the front door of The Whitman. Finally, they did also tell us that there was a report of gunshots fired at 13th and N St's.
At present, the investigation is obviously still ongoing, and they have no suspects yet.
