Informant Gunned Down Amidst 5D Violence
posted 8:52 pm Fri April 18, 2008 - Washington
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A 24 year-old suspect turned informant was shot and killed in Northeast Washington and now his family and the authorities want to know if it was a random act of violence or a planned murder.
"I told my son, 'You don't have any friends. The only friend you have is God and me.'" A distraught mother and family, who just saw Leiutenant Harris Junior the morning of his murder, was killed in the 2,800 block of 12th Street NE. His mother, Cleopatria Harris, wonders if his death had anything to do with a federal fraud case.
Police stopped her son and found 20 credit cards and eight completed passport applications. According to court documents, Leiutenant Harris told police he and someone inside the State Department were taking information off passport applications, which they used to get fraudulent credit cards. Another conspirator, inside the Postal Service, intercepted the cards before they could get to the actual people.
Leiutenant Harris was in court for that case three days before his murder. "He felt like he was going to do jail time. He was willing to do jail time."
The case also got into the press and the mother wonders if that led to her son's death. "Yes I do. I think it had a hell of a lot to do with it. [The story] made my son appear to be a snitch."
Police are investigating the murder, while State Department Diplomatic Security, Secret Service and the Postal Inspector are all investigating the fraud case. The only comment from law enforcement was that it's an ongoing investigation.
Leiutant Harris' murder comes after a spat of violence in the fifth ward. There were five homicides in a four day period. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr., Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes and Fifth District Commander Lamar Greene announced a plan to address the issue. The police department plans on doubling the amount of officers in high-impact areas and "increasing various law enforcement efforts throughout the Fifth District."
"By increasing visibility of officers we will interact more with community members and develop leads on recent crimes and help prevent more crimes from being committed," said Commander Greene.
On April 14, 29-year-old William Foster was found at North Capitol & R Street, NE suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body. He later died at an area hospital.
One day later, 34-year Gary Oliver English was found in the 2000 block of Lincoln Road with a number of gunshot wounds. He was unconscious when he was found and died at the hospital.
On April 16, two people were murdered. Eighteen-year-old Darvell Stewart was found in the 1100 block of Owen Place with multiple gunshot wounds. Then, in the 1600 block of Montello Avenue, Tonette Gail Ferguson was found dead. It's not clear how the victim died.
Leiutenant Harris was found a day later in the 2800 block of 12th Street inside of a gray car suffering from multiple gun shot wounds. He was later pronounced dead.
Homicide and Sexual Offenses Branch is investigating the cases and asks anyone with information to call 202-727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIME.
The Associated Press may have contributed to this article.
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