Mayor appointed a 'Pistol-Packing Preacher' | DC Police acting chief calls for faith leaders help in combatting gun violence

WASHINGTON — In front of a packed crowd of community members and faith leaders at the Merrick Recreation Center Saturday morning, Acting Police Chief Pamela Smith addressed the continued violence in the District. That included a deadly shooting on Friday morning, which left two men dead along Chesapeake Street SE. 

"This has to stop," she said. "The violence that is happening in our communities needs to stop. But it takes more than me to say this. I need you guys to show up with me." 

Amid the crowd of pastors and faith leaders, there was one grandmother named Dolores Clayton. With tears in her eyes, Clayton walked her way to the front of the room, holding a photo of her beloved grandson, Tyjon. The 20-year-old was one of the victims from the Friday morning shooting. Clayton said he graduated from Ballou High School, and was working as a custodian at The Smithsonian. 

"My grandson was innocent," she said. "And he's gone. He's gone." 

The shooting happened before noon on Friday, when a pair of gunmen exited a red SUV and started shooting with long guns. The shooting also left 56-year-old Charles Luster Jr. dead. Police have not confirmed which person was the target of this shooting. Clayton said that her grandson was leaving a convenience store when the shooting took place. 

"We never thought in a million years that we would never see him again," she said as the acting chief listened on. "Something needs to be done. Justice is not working at all." 

As the entire room watched, this moment of grief then transformed into a time of prayer. Acting Chief Smith walked to Clayton and bowed her head. Then a group of about a dozen faith leaders joined, and lead Clayton in prayer. 

"Use this young man as an example of Goodness," one pastor said from the center of the huddled group of faith leaders. 

The emotional moment came as the acting chief made her call for a greater presence from religious leaders in combatting violence. Smith is an ordained Baptist minister, who referred to herself as a "pistol-packing preacher" during the community event. 

"Everybody keeps saying they want the police," she said. "Well I’m going to turn it around on you and say I need you. I need you to be present when we’re standing in front of those cameras. I need you to be present letting the world know that you have to take back your community.”

Smith confirmed on Saturday that police had recovered the red SUV, although they continue to search for the four men who were inside, including the two shooters. 

"We are working feverishly," she said. "We believe we are right where we need to be. But we need your help. We need your help. Those folks who were out there yesterday, if you saw something, contact the Metropolitan Police Department." 

At the community event, Smith called for regular meetings with faith leaders, to get them more involved with crime-fighting initiatives. 

"We're all in this fight together," she said. "And I'm going to keep coming back. I'm not going anywhere. Same energy, same drive. Same script, different cast."