As homicides in Ward 7 continue to rise, a community in Northeast held a vigil yesterday in remembrance of two residents. Raeshard Blue, 40, and Treyvon Johnson, 27, were gunned down Friday evening in the close-knit neighborhood that they called home.
Nearly 100 people, most of whom had grown up in River Terrace, crowded the 300 block of 34th Street NE—the site of the double homicide. They convened to pay their respects to the victims and pray for peace in a community where gunshots once seemed to be heard as frequent as ice cream truck bells.
“I do want to pray for the victims’ families, and I want to pray for the survivors—we’re all survivors,” said Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander, who noted that she was in attendance as a resident of the ward, in addition to being a political figure.
Alexander told the crowd that she knew Blue personally. “We argued because he was one of the ones that some of my constituents were complaining about—’why are guys always hanging out on the corner’ right?” But in speaking to Blue, “I understood who he was and some of the trials and tribulations he went through,” Alexander said, recollecting fond memories of a man “gone too soon.”
Johnson’s girlfriend, pregnant with his baby, took the microphone in tears. “I want everybody to know that I truly loved that man—I really did. He was going to be a good father to our child,” she said, adding that she’d spoken with him early Friday evening.
Johnson’s aunt also spoke to him that day. He came to her home to drop off some money, she told the crowd. “He was so happy that day. He said that all he wanted was his family to be happy, and then later on he was gone.”
At around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, police responded to reports of the shooting, according to a release from the Metropolitan Police Department. Upon arrival, they found the victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds (about 60 rounds of shots were fired, neighbors say).
DC Fire and EMS took Blue to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead after all lifesaving efforts had failed, according to the police report. Johnson was also treated on scene, “but showed no signs consistent with life.” His body remained there until officials took him to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Last night’s vigil was preceded by a peace walk throughout the waterfront community, which is bordered on one side by the Anacostia River. The walk and vigil were organized by Varick Memorial AME Zion Church, which is housed in the neighborhood, and the River Terrace Community Organization.
River Terrace residents had hoped that fatal acts of violence in the community were now a thing of the past. But with the loss of Blue and Johnson, in addition to the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Darnell Richardson in March, the community vowed last night to band together for safer streets.
“It’s all of us working together,” said Rev. Dr. Evalina Huggins, pastor at Varick. “We made a commitment last night in a tangible way to try to make a difference in this community. We’re going to do whatever we can and work with every organization to make our community safe.”
