“Dear PoPville,

In Shaw below U Street a man was attacked by a group of approximately 10 males, estimated to be in their late teens or young adults, as he walked north on 10th Street NW between R and S Streets shortly after 10 p.m. on Friday, October 17, 2014. It is not known whether the group intended to rob the man or if they were only interested in injuring him.

The victim had walked west on R Street past the site of the closed Shaw Junior High School and then turned right, after the Way Back to Pentecost Church, to walk north on 10th toward S. As he walked up the right sidewalk of 10th, several members of a group started following closely behind him. Across the street, additional members of the group followed him from the left sidewalk. The victim moved into the street and started walking at a faster pace up the middle of the road but the attackers coordinated to surround him. The group then converged on the victim, ran toward him, and began attacking with punches as the victim ran for safety toward the intersection of 10th and S. The victim was knocked to the pavement with punches and he crawled into the middle of the intersection so that passing traffic would cause the attackers to disperse.

Passersby subsequently came to the victim’s aid and a parking enforcement person on the street called 911. The police arrived as the attackers continued north on 10th.

Officers of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department assigned a case number to the incident but it is not known if any of the attackers were apprehended. It was classified as a “simple assault” but that would seem like a low charge considering the organized nature of it and the fact that it was not just a threat but was actually carried out in a violent manner. I don’t want to interfere with whatever investigation the police might be conducting, but at the same time I think people in the neighborhood should be notified.”