Washington, D.C. has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation and a serious crime problem. Much of that is likely due to the District’s decidedly lenient treatment of violent felons. Now, after a week spent dealing with eight dead bodies, D.C.’s top cop thinks maybe keeping offenders in prison might be a more effective way to DO SOMETHING.
About 70% of the people arrested with guns in D.C. have had prior arrests for firearm-related offenses. In 2018, nearly half the people arrested for homicide had prior gun arrests.
“It’s very disturbing to me to see people who we know are potentially going to be involved in violent behavior and we’re not appropriately dealing with them when we get them the first time,” (Police Chief Peter) Newsham said.
He wants more to be done to make sure gun offenders are being held accountable.
“Hopefully, people will get engaged and they will kind of look at the sentencing that some of our career criminals are getting and maybe give it a different consideration,” Newsham said.
– Kristi King in Frustrated DC police chief wants more done to target repeat gun offenders