Six homicides in six days mark bloody week in Prince George's

Prince George’s County (Map, News) - It has been a bloody week in Prince George’s county with six homicides in as many days.

The string of killings brings the county’s year total to 61, seven shy of the 68 at this time last year.

The first half of 2007 was described earlier this year by Police Chief Melvin High as one of the worst in recent history, and he touted the county’s ability to bring down the death rate through the 2007’s remaining six months.

Among those killed this week were a teenager who was while walking with friends in District Heights when she was shot and a father of two who was returning to his Capitol Heights home around 1:15 a.m. with his family when they disrupted a burglar who shot and killed and him.

The two most recent were Thursday.

Just before noon Saahir Abdul-Ali,35, of District Height, was shot and killed on the 6600 block of Ronald Road in Capitol Heights, Prince George’s County police said. Another 41-year-old man was wounded in the attack.

Police said they’re unsure of the motive, but they believe the victims may have been targeted.

Then around 11 p.m. Jin Chin, 21, of Temple Hills, was shot and killed on the 400 block of Vista Way in Fort Washington. Detectives believe it was a robbery gone bad.

As the county’s homicide count continues to climb police will continue to use tactics that they believe have a proven track record, said spokeswoman Sharon Taylor, who noted the latest string had followed a recent 10 day stretch in which no one was killed.

“The strength of our ability in bringing crime down has been with staying the course,” Taylor said.

Crime goes in cycles and each day district commanders meet and adjust to the rise and fall of those cycles as need be, she said.

“They deploy assets where they see activity… and the result is that we’ll continue to be able to disrupt the order.”

 

fklopott@dcexaminer.com 

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