It’s been top national news all day, but we’re still in shock over the tragedy that occurred last night at Unifest, the Union Temple Baptist Church‘s large soul-food festival along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. A woman drove her car through the crowded festival and struck at least 40 people. Thirty five people were taken to hospitals, seven with severe injuries. Two of the injured were children younger than 3.
The mayhem happened at about 8 p.m. last night along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and W Streets SE. Witnesses say that a gray station wagon, with a woman driving, mowed through festival goers at 70 mph, and gave no indication of trying to stop. From the Post:
After the vehicle began knocking down members of the crowd, police at the scene jumped on their scooters and bicycles and tried to stop the car, Lanier said.
She said one or two officers were struck when they pulled their scooters in front of the station wagon.
It was not clear what finally caused the station wagon to halt. Lanier said a variety of accounts had been put forward; some suggested that members of the crowd had played a part. One man told reporters that he had dived through the vehicle’s window in an effort to bring it to a halt.
It’s difficult to comprehend the magnitude of this tragedy, which authorities have said is the worst pedestrian accident in recent memory. According to the AP, some witnesses said Bell may have been smoking something and laughing as she drove through the crowd. It also seems likely that Bell was the same woman who was seen driving erratically and striking an unmarked police cruiser 20 minutes before the rampage — and police did not pursue her after the incident. The good news is that so far, there have been no fatalities. Mayor Adrian Fenty told the Examiner AP that it does appear that all the victims are going to pull through.
Unifest routinely draws 200,000 visitors each year, and is one of the most popular street festivals in Anacostia. Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families.
Image by andertho
