Prosecutors Offer Plea Deal in Derby Shooting
Daemarie Derby, 19, faces a proposed seven-to-nine year sentence if he accepts a guilty plea to aggravated assault.
Washington Violence News
Wisevoter covers violent crime in Washington, from homicides and shootings to assaults and the public safety responses they generate across the nation's capital. The District's law enforcement agencies and city government carry joint responsibility for the reporting area.
Recent news
November 6, 2026
Judge Halts Hearing in Tarpinian-Jachym Murder CaseA conflict of interest involving the defense attorney for one defendant forces the court to appoint new counsel before expert testimony can be considered.
November 5, 2026
Judge Finds Rico Parker Competent for Murder TrialDC Superior Court ruled the 44-year-old defendant mentally fit to stand trial in the fatal shooting of Marcus Little.
November 3, 2026
Judge Bars New Witness in Smith Stabbing TrialA DC Superior Court judge denied the prosecution's late request to add a witness in the murder case of Joseph Smith, set for trial Oct. 30.
November 2, 2026
Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm PossessionSavon Lee Blanchard admitted in federal court to unlawfully possessing a Glock pistol after a police chase on a stolen ATV in Washington.
October 30, 2026
Judge Sentences Wonell Jones to 45 Years in PrisonThe D.C. court sentenced the man for the 2022 murder of Audora Williams in her Southeast apartment.
October 30, 2026
Judge Allows Detective to Define Slang in Murder TrialA Washington judge will permit testimony defining the term lick as a robbery during an ongoing murder trial.
October 29, 2026
Trial Opens in 2016 Homicide CaseDefense and prosecution present arguments in the murder trial of Wilbert Whitaker for the 2016 death of Leo Hackett.
October 29, 2026
Judge Scrutinizes FBI Cell Phone Data in Murder CaseA Washington court weighs the reliability of FBI location technology ahead of final arguments in a homicide trial.
October 29, 2026
D.C. Officer Shoots Suspect Following Bus Stop AttackA suspect in a morning shooting on Minnesota Avenue NE remains in critical condition following an officer-involved shooting.
October 28, 2026
Judge Ends Probation for D.C. Assault DefendantThe court ruled that Tevin Spivey failed to complete mandated community service hours following his conviction.
More in Violence
The beat runs across homicide investigations, shooting incidents, domestic violence cases and the anti-violence programs operating across the city's wards. Reporting follows the Metropolitan Police Department, the city's public safety agencies and the federal law enforcement presence that gives Washington a law enforcement landscape unlike any other U.S. city. The nation's capital's unique jurisdictional structure — with the District government, federal agencies and congressional oversight all intersecting — means that significant public safety events here draw national attention and can prompt policy responses at levels beyond the city itself. Homicide clearance rates and the allocation of anti-violence funding generate the most sustained coverage, since both mark the long-term direction of public safety policy in a city under perpetual national scrutiny.