darcy spencer is live outside the school with the latest on that. darcy? >> craig, we were able to speak to the victim's mother late this afternoon and she said that he is the father of four children, also an ex marine. you would also find him here at mckinly tech high school here on the football field many a night because he is associated with d.c. falcons. it is a sem fie professional team that plays here at the school but but it was here in the parking lot of the high school friday night about 8:30 where he lost his life. i'm told a girl's flag football team was on the field when the shooting happened. this is video of the victim. he was 36 years old. his name was ralph thomas. he lived in temple hills in prince korj george's county. tom yeah mother says he used to coach football with thomas's father. those with the men say they played football at some point for the d.c. falcons. >> there's definite lay lot of stories bouncing around. it is hard to speculate where it stems from. some say a female. but whatever it may be, it really wasn't worth taking a

darcy spencer explains. >> reporter: bike, jog or even roller blade on this path in northeast d.c. and you could become victim of a crime. over the past few weeks, there have been numerous robberies. one woman was zapped with a taser as she rode her bike here. >> i'm a little shocked by it because i haven't noticed anything suspicious or out of the ordinary lately. >> reporter: we found out if you call for help, there could be a problem. residents tell me when people have called 911 dispatchers don't know where the path is. this 1 1/2 mile stretch known as the met branch trail opened last year. >> what gives people the impression that the cops don't know where it is? >> well, some instances this year or last year when people were attacked and reporting suspicious authority, npd's unified call center was unable to identify the area where it was. >> reporter: local advisory neighborhood commissioner tim clark says sometimes it has taken 5 to 8 minutes to figure out where the trail is. those who use it say they're not surprised. >> i was surprised to see you guys here. what in the wor

darcy spencer is live in northeast d.c. with more on where these attacks are happening and how authorities are responding. >> reporter: the crimes are happening here in the fifth police district. i'm told sometimes there is a delay in police response. that's because when people call 911, the person on the other end of the phone doesn't know where this trail is. bike, jog, or rollerblade on this paved path in northeast d.c. and you could become a victim of crime. over the last couple of weeks there have been numerous robberies. one woman complains on a local list serve that she was zapped with a taser as she rode her bike here. >> i'm a little shocked by it because i haven't noticed anything suspicious or out of the ordinary lately. >> reporter: we found out, if you call for help there could be a problem. residents tell me that when people have called 911, dispatchers don't know where the path is. this 1 1/2 mile stretch, known as the met branch trail, opened last year. >> this year and last year, when people were either att