Media release
March 15, 2021
Contact Nick DelleDonne
703-929-6656
Community May Solve Encampment Mystery!
With MPD Video, Dupont Neighbors May ID Vigilantes
in Homeless Encampment Removal at Safeway, July 2020
Last year early in the morning of Sunday, July 26, vigilantes under cover of night, removed the homeless encampments on 17th St. NW, outside the Safeway. In a despicable act of violence on residents of the community who have little, a band of thieves removed and disposed of all their earthly possessions including their bedding, birth certificates and cash.
The occupants Stevie and Savon returned later that morning to find their “whole world” gone, as Stevie would say in a WRC4 television interview sometime afterward. At a meeting of Dupont ANC, Ward 2 Councilmenber Brooke Pinto called the act a crime and vowed to get to the bottom of it. MPD Third District Commander Stuart Emerman collected video tapes from the surveillance cameras at Safeway and launched an investigation.
The video tape, published here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sodd94mw8V8. only 68 seconds, shows three principals with a hatchback automobile, at 5:30 in the morning make what appear to be several trips, removing the tents an all the possessions of the homeless residents and drive away. The homeless residents were not present during the theft, having been offered a night at an apartment nearby to escape the summer heat.
At the time of the removal, the encampment had been the subject of an unusually protracted and vitriolic attack by subscribers to the listserv known as NextDoor Dupont Circle. Others in the community were generous with gifts of money, food and supplies.
In the hope that neighbors viewing the tape will recognize the principals in the video and the automobile, the video is being widely distributed to assist in the police investigation. If you have information relevant to the case or recognize the principals, you are encouraged to report to the MPD detectives at 202-727-9099 or text 50411.
MPD detectives are invited to Dupont East Civic Action Association’s meeting Monday, March 15 at 7 pm by Zoom. Join us
Dupont East Civic Action Association www.keepdupontgreen.org