DOJ ramping up fight against violent crime, carjackings in DC

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is ramping up its fight against violent crime and carjackings in Washington, D.C., it said in a press release Friday.

“Last year, we saw an encouraging decline in violent crime in many parts of the country, but there is much more work to do — including here in the District of Columbia,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in the announcement.

“This surge in law enforcement resources will build on the Department’s efforts to target the individuals and organizations that are driving violent crime in the nation’s capital,” Garland continued. “The Justice Department will not rest until every community in our country is safe from the scourge of violent crime.”

The DOJ said it will “surge additional law enforcement tools and resources to target those most responsible for violent crime and carjackings” in the nation’s capital, according to the release. Those resources include the “multi-component Gun Violence Analytic Cell (GVAC), which is led by the FBI with partners from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).”

“Using data analytics, GVAC will identify additional federal investigations that should be opened to combat violent crime and carjackings,” the release continued.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was carjacked in Washington in October, according to his office. In the wake of the carjacking, Cuellar said the capital city is “two or three times more dangerous” than his own district on the U.S. southern border.

“I’ve always said when I talk about the border, that there is an immigration crisis there. But I would say that when you look at the numbers of murders, rape, assaults at the border — let’s say in Laredo, Texas — I’ve always said that Washington is about two or three times more dangerous, and we certainly see it now,” Cuellar said.

“You know, I’ve got three brothers who are peace officers. One is a border sheriff. I’ve always supported the law enforcement. I think it’s important that we support law enforcement, because a society without law and order is not a society,” he continued.