kevin lewis was at an emergency meeting in petworth today. this is an area really looking for solutions. kevin: yes, it certainly is, especially because of the uptick in violence the last few months. we came to the corner of third and pressure straight. last week, somebody opened fire on two men walking down the sidewalk. luckily, the bullets did not hit the men, but the shooting deflated the communities sense of safety. it was on camera, only steps from the georgia avenue worth -- petworth metro station. days later a drive-by homicide outside of this restaurant, and then a woman walking down an alley mode then sexually assaulted. >> i live in the neighborhood and i've heard gunshots. kevin: residents are now part of a grassroots safety push. >> this starts long before the gunshots are fired. i think we can all work together to get the word out. kevin: mpd held a meeting at its substation this morning. >> it was information sharing. kevin: stats show about 30 shots fired calls this year alone in petworth. >> vehicles or property damage had oc

it's been ongoing for a long time. >> drew snyder of the petworth news blog say some feel that not having a sitting council member does contribute. >> we do have a liaison who is at all these meetings but people don't all know that. and they don't know who he is -- all they know is they don't have a council person. >> at a meeting seeking to fill the seat in a special election aspiring council members said public safety is a top priority. most agreed a long-term solution would only come from improved economic and education opportunities as the income gap continues to widen in the district most diverse ward. >> things have improved a great deal. we still have some issues here. >> reporter: and that ward 4 special election will be held april 28th. back to you. >>> tonight our weather now, keep track of all this? first it's up then koun then back up again. >> i throw one arm like this and i throw one arm like this and i switch them around vance. because that's what we've got. we've got downs, we've got upsed to. it was down we are going up in the right direction. 47 in d.c. that was the high

as for the petworth area, police may add more foot patrols there. >>> seven children dead tonight.r mother and sister fighting for their lives after fire ripped through a resident apartment. it ripped through a jewish orthodox home when firefighters say a warming plate left on mal functioned. orthodox jews do not typically turn on appliances on or off during sabbath. firefighters and new york's mayor say it's among the worst fires they've ever seen. >> this is unbelievable tragedy. commissioner and i, keith burns, chief leonard took us through the building. it is unimaginable what you see in there. you can literally see what was a home for a large and strong family and now it is wiped out. >> tonight, the children's mother and 14-year-old sister remain hospitalized in critical condition. both suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation in that blaze. >>> still to come tonight, helping women in the district fight breast cancer. >>> also ahead, what says spring more than cherry blossoms? we'll take you to the opening it's the biggest trade violation in history. today middle east gover

they responded to the scene at jefferson and 8th streets north west just north of petworth. we're told the adult male victim when police arrived had already succumbed to his gunshot wound found dead inside his car. we're hearing from the fourth district commander the victim was found shot inside that car and the car was here for some time on the scene. it was stopped in the intersection of 8th and jefferson with both of its back doors open. police spending lots of time taking a look at that car, gathering evidence and we're told they will be here for some time when the daybreak -- at daybreak and continuing to look for evidence and a suspect. but at this point there's no lookout or description of that suspect. back to you in the studio. >> delia in northwest this morning. >>> targeted because they're cops. we're following a developing story from ferguson, missouri. two pliferls there shot -- police officers there shot overnight. >> one was shot in the face. don champion has more. >> reporter: the shooting happened outside the ferguson, missouri police department, as proteste

restaurant group that includes the petworth citizen claims it found out from the i.r.s. the $242,000 in employment taxes went unpaid. and an alexandria restaurant group, eat good food says period didn't pay $116 grand in taxes leaving the restaurant chain with i.r.s. liens. the restaurants convinced the judge to freeze the bank accounts of period and its owner david richardson so he can't run off with their money. russell believes his funds are gone forever. >> pay what you owe and be legitimate in your actions. joce: and the "7 on your side" i-team found the f.b.i. had questions about the actions of another group richardson has ties to. in 2010 the feds put out a warning about a survey sent to seniors by a nonprofit on whose board richardson served. it looks like the census but in addition to questions, also asked seniors to send donations. now, tax filing for that nonprofit show richardson was not compensated at all by that group. again today, we reached out to him by phone and e-mail. we got no response and the i.r.s. will not comment about specific cases but tell us

concerned citizens in petworth have gathered more than 300 signatures. they say in the past months police have responded to 17 reports of shots fired. residents are calling on mayor bowser to address the issue and to take action to make their neighborhood a safer place to live. >>> turns out that we've got a report tonight that robert durst may be linked to a cold case in vermont. police in middlebury said that durst owned a business there at the same time an 18-year-old college student was reported missing back in 1971. earlier today a judge in new orleans ordered durst held without bail on a weapons charge. the judge called him a flight risk. durst is accused of killing his friend susan berman 15 years ago in los angeles. >>> tea party senator ted cruz is trying to get a jump on the competition declaring himself the first candidate for president today. he made that announcement in lynchberg. tomorrow cruz and his wife heidi will give their first interview since announc exclusively on the "today" show. you can see it right here after news4 today. >>> th

kimberly: people in washington's petworth neighborhood came together today for one reason.try to find a way to reduce crime. at least 75 residents attended an emergency meeting at this m.p.d. substation. the meeting follows an increase in crime in the area. including a homicide, muggings and at least one sexual assault. now, some neighbors told abc 7 news they want a greater police presence on the streets and more officer involvement with the community. d.c. mayor mariel bowser is saying a recent positive review for the city's street car could be just the spark the project needs to roll forward. the street car has faced numerous delays. but the american public transportation association an industry group says it found "no fatal flaws" that would prevent the system from going ahead and opening. >> we ordered a top to down review so that we can know everything that we need to do to have the system running safely. kimberly: street planning construction and the purchase of six street cars have cost d.c. tax payers $200 million. ddot says it is committed to getting the system op

(sighs) (indistinct conversations) they're fixing the green line at petworth.onnecting red line trains are stuck waiting at fort totten, which puts the next train to shady grove about 20 seconds away. thank you. (man continues indistinctly on p.a.) (train horn honks) (train arriving) look at that. just like you predicted. are you here tomorro

. >> also today, you will have a chance to talk to police about a string of shootings at the petworth neighborhood. after the public comment portion police will present a plan on how to stop the violence. >> a former stafford county teacher who admitted to having sex with students is pleasing guilty. erica lynn mesa pleaded guilty to solicitation of a minor and the delinquency of a minor. she effaces 22 years this in prison. she taught in stafford county. she had inappropriate relationships with at least four students since 2012. >> virginia's attorney general calling for a databasen on college sexual assaults. a list for those expelled for committing sec shall attacks should be created for every campus in virginia. this was a recommendation from the task force on combatting sexual violence. they say knowing how many officers and counselors are needed per student would help with staffing. online porle talls were put together to paycheck it ease ier to report sexual assault. >> d.c. streetcars have no fatal flaws despite months of crashes on the 8th street and betting northeast corrido

visiting that we take for granted all the museums and memorials around here, lincoln's cottage at petworthy his stork. that's where he spent a lot of days contemplating the civil war. >> i would not have envied his position at all in life. you get to be president, but president during the civil war, yikes. >> today is a good day to see any memorial right. >> if you want a picture of the national mall with snow on it you better hurry up and get out there. snowflakes meanting so fast you can almost hear it taking place out on the front lawn of channel 4. outside around all of the area temperatures will be way above freezing today. most everybody should be at least 20 degrees above freezing today, and in some neighborhoods, 30 degrees above freezing tomorrow. so the ice on the potomac is starting to retreat. away and away it goes. good riddance to the ice and snow. even i, as a snow lover, even i am about ready for spring to move on in. 38 at reagan national. light breeze out of the south averaging only 5 miles per hour. area temperatures national one of the cooler spots at 38 already in the

people who live in this neighborhood have been complaining about a recent spike in shootings in the petworth and brightwood neighborhoods they've started an online petition asking mayor bowser for help. >> i am sorry to hear about a shooting here and that a crime took place here. but to ask me am i really really really surprised, no. >> reporter: now, there have been at least 17 reports of shots fired in these neighborhoods in just the past three months. coming up at 6:00 you'll hear from the victim's brother as well as one of the men who was with the victim when he was shot. he'll describe what took place here last night. back to you. >>> and a salute to the thousands of marylanders who fought in vietnam. maryland governor larry hogan is dedicating today welcome home vietnam veterans day. he signed a bill in annapolis this morning. supporters call it a long overdue recognition for those who served in the war but were shunned when they returned home. >>> an american health care worker being treated for ebola continues to improve tonight. doctors at the national institutes for health say the