DC sees 8-day murder freeze following Trump’s federal police takeover
WASHINGTON, DC – For the first time in years, possibly, the nation’s capital has gone more than a week without a single recorded homicide — a shift that comes just days after President Donald Trump’s controversial federalization of D.C.’s police force.
The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Thursday that no murders have been logged in the city since August 13, marking an eight-day streak without a homicide. The department’s last recorded killing occurred just two days after Trump ordered the unprecedented move on August 11 to place D.C. law enforcement under partial federal control.
In the days since, federal agencies have flooded the streets, ramping up arrests and targeting known hotspots. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that federal law enforcement made 53 arrests in the city on Wednesday alone, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement reporting another 24.
Photos from the week show joint task forces of FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Secret Service, and MPD detaining suspects on the streets as part of what Trump has dubbed his D.C. crime crackdown.
“Our mission to make DC safe again isn’t slowing down,” Bondi said in a post on X Thursday morning.
In response to the surge, the Department of Justice has launched a tip line offering cash rewards for information leading to felony arrests in the District.
While it remains to be seen whether the current trend will hold, the sharp drop in violence comes after months of rising homicides that put pressure on local and federal leaders to act.
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Key Points
- Washington, D.C. has seen no homicides for eight consecutive days as of Thursday
- The homicide pause follows President Trump’s federalization of D.C. police on August 11
- Federal task forces have made dozens of arrests as part of the citywide crime crackdown
Federal boots on the ground mark a turning point in D.C.’s violent crime surge with an eight-day homicide pause.
