Yikes. Someone just forwarded us a disturbing e-mail from Commander Diane Groomes of the MPD’s First District. Anyone who walks around the Eastern Market area in the morning hours, or really probably at any hour, will want to know about it.

On Friday morning at 0645 hours — a male citizen was walking to Navy Yard when he saw a male dancing in the street — he walked by and then felt a burning sensation to his back and neck and realized he was stabbed three times by the said male who then just walked off (7th and E St. SE)

Today (Tuesday) at 0845 hours — a female was walking from home to work (100 D St. SE) and she felt a burning sensation in her back and observed a male walk away and then noticed she was stabbed in the back.

We believe it may be the same subject — B/M in his late twenties, usually has a red jacket — 6’0″ — does not say anything, appears “MO”-disoriented – spotted looking into trash and talking to himself.

The e-mail goes on to describe the tactical plan 1D put in place to find this man beginning on Friday, and asks “anyone with information to call us and the detectives office” (Witkowski, Hawkins – (202) 698-0549). We hate for anyone to be nervous walking around their own neighborhood, but we also hate for anyone not to be aware of a potentially dangerous, clearly mentally-ill person roaming the streets. Keep your eyes open, Hill residents. And probably don’t walk around with your headphones on for a while.

UPDATE: More from MPD on what to do if you think you see this man: “Anyone with information about these cases is asked to call police at 202-727-9099 or the department’s Crime Solvers Unit at 1-800-673-2777. However, anyone who sees a subject matching the suspect’s description should take no direct action, but should avoid the subject and alert police to the suspect’s whereabouts immediately by calling 911.”