There’s so much we still don’t know about the April 22 Van Ness shootings. And one of the chief unknowns is why. Nothing investigators learned in the early days after the attack pointed to the gunman’s motive. As one MPD investigator told The Washington Post in an article published on May 12th, “We have the same questions you have.”
There have been no substantial updates on that investigation since, other than MPD 2D’s report at the May 17th ANC 3F meeting. Lieutenant Stephen Amodeo said one of the four shooting victims, a retired 2D officer who was a security guard at Edmund Burke School, was still hospitalized.
Now, more than six weeks later, we still don’t have answers. And there have been more mass shootings across the U.S. MPD Chief Robert Contee told WTOP on Tuesday that in the event of an active school shooter, his officers would not hesitate.
“We’re going in the building,” he said. “Period.”
Contee also said that the Van Ness shooter’s tactics mirrored those of the sniper in the 2017 Las Vegas shootings.
Other neighborhood news mentions:
“This pricey school promised a global education. It’s barely solvent.” (The Post)
“Foreclosure auction canceled for D.C. home of Whittle School” (Washington Business Journal)
“So many candidates, so little polling” with ANC 3F chair Claudette David on choosing a Ward 3 candidate (Axios)
“Nursing home residents suffer from staffing shortages, but the jobs are hard to fill” (NPR)
“DC-area nursing home, assisted living residents show off their strength at annual fun run” (McKnight’s Long-Term Care News)
“Melvin Hazen No More – Hello U.S. Reservation 630” (Popville)
Social media mentions:
Postcard of Dunbarton College of the Holy Cross, built in 1938 as a Catholic women's college. Next to it is the 1909 Holy Cross Academy, a Catholic girls high school. The buildings, on Upton Street NW just off Conn Ave in Van Ness, now house the Howard University School of Law. pic.twitter.com/FVY73zINCw
— Streets of Washington (@StreetsOfDC) May 22, 2022
Special Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉 to the 50th Graduation Anniversary of the classes of 1972 from our legacy institutions DC Teachers College, Federal City College and Washington Technical Institute.- @UDCNASALUMNI #UDC1851 #UDCFirebirds pic.twitter.com/NWEdJz6D6X
— University of DC (@udc_edu) May 16, 2022
Green Eyeshades says
Just two days after the main post was published, Washington Business Journal reported on June 10, 2022 that the landlords of the Whittle School sued to evict the school from the Van Ness campus:
“The owners of the Van Ness building that houses the Whittle School & Studios’ D.C. campus have sued to evict the for-profit K-12 education company for allegedly failing to pay nearly $27.2 million in rent and real estate taxes since April 2020, according to court documents.
“The 650,000-square-foot building located at 4000 Connecticut Ave. NW, as well as 3400 International Dr. NW and 3007 Tilden St. NW, sits on federally owned land. The building is leased by The 601W Cos. and minority partner Berkley Properties LLC, listed in the complaint as SL 4000 Connecticut LLC and BL 4000 CT LLC, per property records filed with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds and confirmed by Washington Business Journal reporting.
“The landlords jointly filed a civil case Thursday afternoon in D.C. Superior Court’s landlord and tenant branch against Whittle School & Studios (Washington) LLC, per court records. The complaint alleges that Whittle School failed to pay nearly $27.2 million in rent between April 2020 and May 2022. That total includes a monthly base rent of nearly $2.7 million and real estate taxes worth $2.8 million, according to the lawsuit.” [snip] (link to follow)
On July 8, Washington Post reported that Whittle School shut down all operations at its Van Ness campus (link to follow).
I would love to know what kind of new business could be recruited to occupy that fabulous Intelsat building. (Roller Rink? Movie Theater?)
Green Eyeshades says
Washington Business Journal reported on June 9, 2022 court filings in this June 10, 2022 story:
https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2022/06/10/whittle-school-chris-whittle-landlord-evict-dc.html
The Post reported yesterday on Whittle School terminating all operations at Van Ness:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/07/08/whittle-school-dc-closure/
Naturally, @foresthillsnews tweeted the Post story right away:
https://twitter.com/postlocal/status/1545552724854542342