From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

A burglar is gaining access to Dupont homes by pushing out AC units. (Borderstan)

The Metropolitan Police Department is warning residents in the Dupont area about a series of recent daytime burglaries committed in similar ways, according to a post in the Third District Yahoo! group.

In all of the incidents, the suspect entered the homes by pushing out window air conditioning units. He has stolen electronic items in each burglary.

Six burglaries between January 17 and March 1 in both the Second and Third District match this pattern. These incidents occurred January 17 in the 1800 block of S Street NW, February 21 in the 1700 block of R Street NW, February 23 in the 1500 block of 17th Street NW, February 25 in the 1900 block of Florida Avenue NW, February 28 in the 1600 block of 17th Street NW and March 1 in the 1700 block of P Street NW.

In Friday’s incident, which occurred at about 6:45 am, the suspect was described as a black male, about 5’9” tall and 170 pounds, wearing a spotted black and white jacket.

The Dupont area also faced a series of daytime burglaries in late 2012 (Recent Daytime Burglaries Reported in Dupont Area), although the method of entry and suspect description were different in these incidents.

Anyone with information in these cases is asked to call the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099.

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From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Asefu’s Yegna Restaurant/1920DC on 9th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

Asefu’s Yegna Restaurant and 1920dc, both operating under a single alcoholic beverage license at 1920 9th Street NW, had their license revoked by the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board in an order released Wednesday.

The revocation was in response to a series of infractions for serving alcohol during prohibited hours.

Temporary Shutdown

Asefu’s and 1920dc had been shut down for 96 hours by Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier late Saturday (1920dc Shut Down After Saturday Morning Homicide) in response to a homicide outside the premises early Saturday morning (Man Shot, Killed Early Saturday, 1900 Block 9th Street NW).

The liquor license revocation, however, was not related to the temporary shutdown. The ABC Board noted that the investigatory case related to the shutdown was moot as a result of the revocation order.

The ABC Board’s order found evidence that owner Asefu Alemayehu allowed the establishment to serve alcohol during unauthorized hours in a 2011 incident. On July 5, 2011, an investigator from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) visited the premises at 3:49 am and witnessed approximately 20 customers inside drinking beer. D.C. law allows for alcohol to only be served until 2:00 am on Tuesdays.

At a hearing in the case in January 2013, the ABC Board rejected a compromise offer that would have led to a shutdown for the establishments between February 18 and February 27, payment of a $3,000 fine, and a transfer of the liquor license.

Why the License was Revoked

In Wednesday’s order, the Board said they were revoking the license under their discretionary authority and because of a legal requirement to do so. Under D.C. law, an establishment automatically loses its liquor license after four serious violations in four years. In addition to the 2011 incident, Alemayehu was convicted of violations related to serving during unauthorized hours in September 2008, May 2009, and April 2010.

The Board expressed disappointment with these repeated violations in its order, noting “by repeatedly remaining open past its Board-approved hours, the Respondent has shown she cannot comply with the law, and that she has no regard for public safety, or the quality of life of residents.” The Board voted 4-1 to accept the order with Chairperson Ruthanne Miller disagreeing on revocation as a penalty.

These violations all occurred before hip hop bar 1920dc opened in July 2012, but because of the shared liquor license, that establishment can no longer serve alcohol. A tweet from 1920dc said the bar is “officially closed due to the revocation of the liquor license.”

February 23 Homicide

In Saturday’s homicide case, 24 year old Cedric Spicer was arrested in the shooting death of 30 year old Joseph Hardin (Arrest Made in Saturday Morning 9th Street NW Homicide). Spicer made an initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court Monday and was charged with first degree murder while armed. He is being held without bond in the D.C. Jail. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for March 14.

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1920dc was temporarily closed after Saturday morning’s homicide in front of the venue on 9th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier temporarily shut down 1920dc, a hip hop bar 1920 9th Street NW, following a homicide outside the premises early Saturday morning. The shutdown went into effect late Saturday and lasts for 96 hours.

Derek Spicer, 24, was arrested and charged with first degree murder while armed in the death of Joseph Hardin, 30 (Arrest Made in Saturday Morning 9th Street Homicide). There are conflicting reports as to the events leading up to the shooting death of Hardin.

A manager of 1920dc told The Washington Post that Hardin had been in an argument in the bar earlier in the night but had left the premises. The manager said he went outside and saw a verbal dispute with Hardin and three other men. A gunman, who the manager claims had not been in the bar that evening, approached Hardin from across the street and shot him multiple times.

However, according to a report from ABC 7, both Hardin and Spicer had been in the bar and began arguing inside the premises before leaving. Based on that report, the shooting occurred about 10 to 15 minutes after both men left the bar.

According to a police report, an officer responding to the shooting saw Spicer running towards him wearing a mask. He was apprehended after dropping a handgun on the street.

Lanier has the authority to temporarily close establishments serving alcohol for up to 96 hours under the Emergency Suspension of Liquor Licenses Act of 2005. Such closures can occur when “The Chief of Police finds that continued operation of this establishment would present an imminent danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the public; that there is an additional imminent danger to the health and welfare of the public by not closing this establishment; and that there is no immediately available measure to ameliorate these findings.”

Lanier has previously used her authority under the Emergency Suspension of Liquor Licenses Act of 2005 to close Heritage India, Mood Lounge, Tabaq Bistro, Indulj and Tap & Parlour after violent incidents. All these establishments later reopened after hearings before the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

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From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Looking south on the 1900 block of 9th Street NW, just south of U Street. (File photo, Luis Gomez Photos)

The Metropolitan Police Department announced an arrest in a homicide in the 1900 block of 9th Street NW early Saturday morning (Man Shot, Killed Early Saturday, 1900 Block of 9th Street NW).

MPD patrol officers located the suspect nearby and arrested 24 year old Cedric Spicer of Northwest DC. Spicer is charged with first degree murder while armed. It is not clear if police are searching for additional suspects as the initial crime alert about the incident mentioned two armed suspects.

The victim, 30-year-old Joseph Hardin of Alexandria, was shot multiple times in the head just after 1 am.

When DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived on the scene, Hardin was unconscious and not breathing and he was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where he was pronounced dead.

According to some reports, the shooting occurred at 1920 9th Street NW, outside of hip hop bar 1920 DC. The investigation by MPD continues.

Homicides are rare in the Borderstan area. This was the first in 2013 and just one official homicide occurred in all of 2012 (DC Records Lowest Number of Homicides Since 1961).

Police Alerts, More Information

You can sign up for alerts through Alert DC and get alerts  by e-mail, cell phone, pager or wireless PDA. When signing up, you can select alerts on crime, transportation, utility outages/issues, government closings, breaking news, DC-sponsored events and Amber Alerts. You can follow the DC Police on Twitter @DCPoliceDept.

You can get more information about crime in the Borderstan area through the MPD listservs for the Second and Third Districts on Yahoo! Groups.

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Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is asking for assistance in locating a suspect in an armed robbery Monday morning in an alley off the 1100 block of T Street NW (7 AM Robbery with Gun, 1800 Block 12th Street NW). The robbery, which occurred at about 6:55 am, was caught on a surveillance camera.

In the video, which MPD has posted to YouTube, the suspect can be seen walking on the sidewalk on T Street and then approaching two victims in the alley while holding a small black handgun. He fled from the alley after stealing property from the victims.

He is described as a black male in his mid to late 20s about 5’10” to 6’ tall and weighing approximately 165 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark ski mask, a gray hoodie, what appears to be a North Face jacket, blue jeans, and dark sneakers with an orange strip along the side.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact MPD at 202-727-9099.

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From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.

A victim was shot in the 1500 block of 7th Street NW just before 5:00pm Wednesday evening, according a tweet from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

NBC 4’s Jackie Benson tweeted that the shooting appeared to take place in front of Bread for the City, which is located at 1525 7th Street NW.

Police Service Area 307 Lieutenant Jeffery Carroll said the victim was transported to the hospital for treatment.

No information was immediately available about the suspect. Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact MPD at 202-727-9099.

The DC Police Alert: “UNIT 3081 CONFIRMED A Shooting at 7th & Q St. NW. No lookout given. DO NOT TAKE ACTION CALL 911 W/EVENT #I20130068728, Sent on: 02/13 17:04″

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From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.

A man and a woman were stabbed near the intersection of 14th and U Streets NW early Sunday morning. The incident occurred outside Patty Boom Boom at 1359 U Street NW.

According to an investigation by the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA), the suspect and two victims had a verbal altercation inside Patty Boom Boom and were removed from the club. The three then became involved in a physical fight outside that was broken up by security personnel.

During the fight, the male victim was stabbed in the chest and left shoulder and the female victim was stabbed under her left breast. The injuries suffered were minor and non-life threatening according to police and the victims drove themselves to the hospital.

Police are still searching for the suspect. He is described as a black male, about 5’9” with a stocky build and a beard. He was last seen wearing an orange sweater, jeans and a beanie, according to the Washington Examiner. Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) at 202-727-9099.

According to Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), MPD and ABRA continue their investigation in the case and no decision has been made by MPD Chief Cathy Lanier on whether or not to temporarily shut down Patty Boom Boom. She has previously closed other U Street bars for violent incidents including Tabaq Bistro, Tap & Parlour and Indulj.

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From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made nine arrests in the Shaw neighborhood on Friday after a lengthy investigation on drug dealing and violence in the area.

According to a release, the arrests were made across the District, including near the intersection of 8th and R Streets NW, where the illegal activity of the group was concentrated. Suspects were arrested for a number of offenses including distribution of crack cocaine, weapons offenses and robbery.

In a statement, MPD Chief Cathy Lanier said, “This is significant for this community as many of the suspects who were charged did not reside in that neighborhood, but loitered there and committed violent crimes. This operation is part of the Metropolitan Police Department’s continued commitment to reduce crime in our neighborhoods.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted MPD detectives from the Third District Vice Unit and the Narcotics and Special Investigations Division during the investigation.

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From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.

Marc A. Gersen, 31, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday in U.S. District Court for one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Gersen will also be placed on three years of probation after his release, will have to serve 400 hours of community service, and must pay judgments and fines totaling $122,500. Gersen pled guilty to the charge in November.

Gersen was enrolled as a law student at Georgetown University at the time of his arrest in December 2011 and was living in an apartment in the Borderstan area. The The Washington Post details the double life of Gersen. He was both a star student interested in becoming a public defender and heavily involved in a methamphetamine dealing ring, in part to finance his addiction to the drug.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s release, Gersen conspired with his roommate, Michael Talon, 30, and Lee Hylton, 51, of Arlington, to distribute meth in the District and surrounding areas. Gersen would go to California, where he previously had been an economics graduate student at the University of California Berkeley, to purchase methamphetamine in quantities of up to half a pound to ship back to DC for distribution.

Police searched the apartment of Gersen and Talon in the 1600 block of 18th Street NW on November 28, 2011 and found three grams of meth and chemicals used for producing drugs. Gersen was arrested outside the Beacon Hotel in the 1600 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW on December 1, 2011 on his way to meet Gersen and Talon. Police arrested Gersen and Talon inside the hotel after finding more than 500 grams of meth.

Talon and Hylton both also pled guilty to the same charge. Talon’s sentencing is scheduled for March 15 and Hylton’s for March 1.

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From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.

Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.

An assault with intent to kill took place in the 2000 block of 14th Street NW early Saturday morning and the Metropolitan Police Department is asking for assistance in locating the suspect. According to a release, the incident occurred at approximately 3:40 am on January 19 near U Street NW. An adult male victim was stabbed in the stomach (Man Stabbed in Stomach Near 14th and U NW). His injuries from the stabbing were not life threatening and he was in stable condition at a local hospital after the assault.

Police have posted a YouTube video of surveillance footage from a restaurant showing the alleged suspect just before the incident. The suspect is described by police as a black male in his late 20s or early 30s about 5’10” to 6” tall and weighing approximately 175 to 190 pounds. He has a light complexion, a beard, and a large bush hairstyle.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police at 202-727-9099.

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