Two Shootings in Washington Leave a Community on Edge

At the news conference on Saturday, Councilman Trayon White Sr., who represents the district where Nyiah was shot, called on residents to take action.

“This ain’t nothing new for us,” Mr. White said. “It’s been going on far too long, and it’s on us to save us. Nobody’s coming to save us but us.”

On Sunday, Nationals Park was business as usual, as fans poured in for a game between the Nationals and the Padres. But the memories of a chaotic night were still fresh for the Nationals manager, Dave Martinez.

“I love this city. This city’s my home,” Martinez said at a news conference before the game on Sunday. “It can get crazy; we all know that. And we all want to feel safe. I can tell you that inside this ballpark, I feel safer than ever, I really do. We care about each other. We don’t want anybody getting hurt.”

Across the Anacostia River, in the neighborhood where Nyiah lived and died, the Courtney family, which was not available for comment on Sunday, wrangled with the loss of Nyiah and her mother’s injury.

Ms. Hudson, her teacher, said she would remember Nyiah as a “kind, compassionate, funny, sassy” girl who was a “wild card” at school talent shows, and quick with a joke.

“My heart hurts for her family and loved ones, and for her classmates that won’t get to see her when first grade starts this fall,” she said. “Nyiah Courtney is and always will be a part of our school community.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/18/us/nyiah-courtney-shooting-nationals-washington-dc.html