From Alden Leonard. Contact him at alden[AT]borderstan.com and follow him @aldenleonard on Twitter.
Mayor Vincent Gray and Police Chief Cathy Lanier announced Monday the arrest of a suspect in the March 11 shooting at the Columbia Heights IHOP. LaShawn Carson, a 27-year-old woman, has been charged with aggravated assault while armed.
Recent anti-gay violence led to a march from Columbia Heights to Dupont on Tuesday, March 20. (Luis Gomez Photos)
“I am pleased and relieved to announce that a suspect in this dastardly crime has been arrested,” Gray said in a statement.
The incident, which has been labeled an anti-gay hate crime under DC law, sparked a public outcry by community leaders and advocates, occurring in a series of of violence perpetrated on LGBT individuals.
In addition to the IHOP incident a gay man was badly beaten a few days later at the corner of Irving Street and Georgia Avenue NW, suffering serious injuries to his face and jaw.
On Tuesday, March 20, in an effort to raise awareness about violence towards the LGBT community, more than 500 people gathered at the IHOP at 14th and Irving Streets NW to march silently from Columbia Heights to Dupont Circle, passing the site of the assault at Irving and Georgia. The march was organized on Facebook by friends of the victims, Silent March for Victims of GLBT Violence.
The victim of the March 11 attack, who was hospitalized for a gunshot wound to his liver, is out of the hospital. The man who was robbed and beaten at Irving and Georgia Avenue NW has also been released from hospital.
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Kudos to the MPD for getting this piece of garbage off the streets! I hope she goes to jail forever. I hope the trash that was with her go to jail too. I also hope they catch the animals that attacked the guy on Georgia Ave soon.
I know it’s a bit off topic, but no part of Georgia Ave is EVER safe. I don’t even like to drive on Georgia Ave. It’s that scary. It seems like every criminal piece of trash in the District is there.