WASHINGTON — Catholic University of America responds to a recent string of crime in the area by arming campus police with guns. The stepped-up security comes after an assault and two murders including the high-profile shooting death of a Kentucky high school teacher.
In fact, surveillance cameras show the suspect charged with the murder of the Kentucky teacher first approached him at the Brookland-CUA metro stop. In a letter to the school community, Catholic University President Peter Kilpatrick identified the metro station as a trouble spot. He wrote not only will Metro Police step up patrols the University hired a private security team to be outside the stop and along the route to campus.
Then Monday around 9:45 p.m., police say 44-year-old Robert Lavender was shot and killed at 7th and Monroe Streets, NE. Lavender's death comes about a week and a half after visiting Kentucky teacher Maxwell Emerson was shot on campus, terrorized in what prosecutors described as a robbery that lasted 30 minutes as he walked from the metro.
Another man walking from that same metro was robbed just before 5 p.m. on July 13. In the letter, President Kilpatrick said the victim was a recent graduate and was heading to his off-campus apartment when he was robbed and severely beaten.
WUSA9 stopped by campus and spoke to residents and students about the crime and many told us they are on edge.
“When will it end?” asked resident Michael Howard. “I guess they're trying to take advantage of people who aren't from here or they assume are not from here and they want to try to rob them. I'm walking down the street right now and I hope I'll make it home safe.”
“This has never happened in the history of this neighborhood,” added long-time resident and Northeast native Peter Semler. “We're really proud of our neighborhood. We're really shocked. We're really angry that it’s so much out of control. We have roving juveniles with guns doing armed robberies here!”
In response, the University president wrote that D.C. Police have stepped up patrols and armed campus police are in full force – driving, cycling, and walking the campus grounds. The school installed key card entries at all university buildings and will increase lighting on campus in hopes to make students feel safe.
“I don’t feel safe,” said MBA student Berke Akgul who has been at CUA for 11 months. “Sometimes I feel like should I change locations or should I go back to Turkey. I mean education is important, but I'm alone here.”
According to the President’s letter, Catholic University has over 600 surveillance cameras on and around campus, which is a 700% increase since 2021. They will even be installing devices to block classroom doors in case of an active shooter. A 12:05 p.m. Mass at St. Michael’s Chapel is set for Thursday for “peace and healing in the neighborhood.” It will be followed by a safety town hall on July 26.