MPD Expects Closure in July 3 Murder of Afghan Lyft Driver on 11th Street, NE

ANC6A’s Community Outreach Committee, chaired by Adina Wadsworth, held a virtual meeting last Monday night to discuss public safety.

MPD Expects Closure in July 3 Murder of Afghan Lyft Driver on 11^th Street, NE

by Larry Janezich

Monday night, ANC6D’s Community Outreach Committee held a Public Safety Meeting with CM Charles Allen, MPD Lt. Araz Alali, and Julia Irving, Deputy Director at DC Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement.  The virtual meeting was attended by some 50 community members. 

CHC will post separate articles on CM Charles Allen’s comments, as well as on the presentation of Ms. Irving on the work of the violence preventers and the office’s neighborhood engagement programs. 

Here are the main takeaways from the Q&A portion of the meeting. 

• Lt. Alali reported on the status of the investigation of murder of Lyft driver Nasrat Ahmed Yar, US Afghan Interpreter, near 11th and D Streets, NE on Monday, July 3.  Alali said, “I’ve been in touch with the homicide branch.  That investigation is making significant progress and we should be anticipating a closure in that imminently” 
• Alali said he could not discuss MPD’s investigative process in a homicide other than in the most general terms:  gathering evidence, seeking out and interviewing witnesses, and collaboration with the city medical examiner.
• The investigation into the June 4 fatal shooting at the Chick-fil-A in the 1400 block of Maryland Avenue, NE, is ongoing.
• After recent failure by MPD to post alerts regarding several armed robberies in ANC6A, Alali thinks that will be remedied, moving forward. 
• Dysfunction at Sherwood Recreation Center.  CM Charles Allen responded to a question about lack of programming and maintenance at Sherwood Recreation Center.  He expressed frustration with the Department of Parks and Recreation saying the lack of programming a huge problem.  He cited his success in getting funding last winter to get the playground resurfaced and worked to get a contract out but DGS “is so far behind” that they delayed the project until this fall which is prime time for the playground.  He said that we’re not seeing DGS and DPR invest in Sherwood the way they need to and noted that Sherwood is one of a handful of DPR facilities used as hypothermia shelters and that has a significant impact on the community.
• Commissioner Roberta Shapiro added her own frustration at trying to determine accountability for the lack of programming and maintenance at the facility citing a meeting with DPR staff last Friday.  She said she found herself in a Catch 22 bureaucratic situation with nobody accountable.  Programming is do it yourself with nothing for seniors and no arts programs and two hours for small children.  ANC6A wrote a letter to DPR in June, received no response, followed up two weeks ago, and as far as she knew, received no response to that.  Regarding the hypothermia shelter, she said when you ask how they are allocated and for a list of shelters, DPR says it comes from the Department of Human Services, and they both say the Mayor makes the final decision.
• For people in mental crisis, call 911 – if not acute call Department of Behavioral Crisis Response:  202 673 6495