Surveillance cameras in a Georgetown alley captured a suspected tire slasher at work on Tuesday, leaving at least three parked cars damaged and neighbors comparing footage before calling police. Multiple home and business cameras recorded the incidents, and D.C. police have opened an investigation.
Video shows suspect attacking tires
Footage provided to investigators shows a person repeatedly stabbing the tire of a light-blue Mazda just after noon on Tuesday, and other clips show the same person walking toward a white Chevrolet and a red Ford Escape whose tires were later found slashed, as reported by WJLA. The station reports that victims turned the videos over to police. Officers told the outlet they do not believe the act was a hate crime and that the investigation is ongoing.
Neighbors, online posts push footage to police
Community members circulated short clips and urged neighbors to check their cameras after the incidents. A thread on Reddit’s r/washingtondc included a poster who wrote that they had "We have 5 videos of him, it’s all going into the police report." Neighbors said officers took statements and collected video from multiple sources to help identify the person caught on camera.
How drivers can help and protect their vehicles
The Metropolitan Police Department encourages residents to register home and business cameras and share footage with investigators to help move cases along. More on the department’s CameraConnect DC program, which lets residents register cameras and make footage available to detectives, is available on the MPD website at CameraConnect DC.
Anyone with video or information about Tuesday’s incidents is asked to contact D.C. police. For emergencies call 911. For non-emergencies call the Metropolitan Police Department at (202) 727-9099 and consider submitting footage or tips through MPD’s online services.
