Anonymous
Post 07/23/2021 14:52     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
"As for timing, my teen was up in the concourse and we talked at 9:31 (per my phone), and I know that first set of gunshots was at least several minutes before that, as we heard the noise, saw the players had disappeared, wondered if that was gunfire, watched people running from the third base line, talked about what to do, noticed the club seats were empty, and, had started halfway up the stairs, which was slowly moving line. Fifteen minutes is a *long* time when something like that is going on. Lots of people — like me— went straight out toward the incident, because that’s what the ushers *told* them to do. Like I said, there is no excuse for them not having the ability to at least lock down the stadium exits almost instantaneously. Was there *no one* from security on that side of the stadium who could see what was going on and who could communicate to the head of security?

I just talked to someone who used work with food vendors at the stadium, and they said it’s been clear to them for a while that the Nats had no plan about how to handle an incident like this. I’ve been in buildings where there were shooting and other security breach incidents and the lock down/evacuate orders come almost instantaneously. The Nats/DC government don’t want to admit it, but a major security review is in order."

+1

It absolutely seemed an eternity, and the staff at Nats Park clearly doesn't GAF. They may be accustomed to gunfire, but not everyone is, and that is okay.
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2021 21:52     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:
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Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

You people are absolutely ridiculous. Point being, why didn't they tell people there what was happening? COMMUNICATION. Silly me, when you hear gun shots, and you don't know if they are in or out of the stadium, you'd like to know!

"Drive by involving two cars outside the park. Remain calm, remain in place, and we will keep you informed." Easy. But no, they had to freak everyone out by corralling the players and ignoring the fans - half of whom were leaving DURING the shooting (Nats were down by 3 at the top of the 6th) - the other half were either screaming or hiding under their seats.

If that is entertaining to you, I wish this situation on you and your family, see how you like it.

If we have to be subjected to this crap, regardless of politics (take it to the politics board) - then at least know how to handle a crises involving tens of thousands of people in your ball park.

I will be seeing baseball in other cities from now on. If nothing else, your PR team and damage control sucks.


It took a few minutes to find out what was going on. It wasn’t a scheduled shooting. How are they supposed to know what to tell you faster than you panic? Duck & cover & wait for instructions like every school kid in America has been trained to do. As soon as they knew, they told people that the incident was outside so stay inside the stadium. Then when they knew there was no threat, they sent people home through exits that did not interfere with the police investigation.


No one knew what was going on, until a fan was shot. Many left after the 6th inning, because the Nats were losing by three points. In the interim, there was a drive by. Nice.

Workers at the gate were not equipped to handle the situation, nor was any one there. If you watched the news coverage, it was NOT 5-10 minutes, but much more.

Why are you defending this crap?



The whole incident was 15 minutes from shots fired to them telling us we could calmly leave the stadium. About halfway through that they did make announcements that it was outside and to stay in.


Disagree. I spoke with other people there and the whole thing was about a half hour, whether you like it or not. Maybe you go through this all the time, maybe it is nothing to you, but people have a reasonable expectation that when a city builds a professional baseball park, even if it is in a bad area, that the fans will be kept safe.

Also, like it or not, there were all types of families t the ball park, maybe even some who (gasp!) look like you. Get over it. I hope that fan sues the city for a ton of money, and I hope it comes out of your tax money.

And yes, children should be safe, too, that goes without saying.

Boy, you people just want to fight each other. No wonder nothing has been done to fix this city. You can't get out of your own way.


I have the facts & sorry you don’t. My receipt for a pretzel was 9:24. It happened a few mins after that. At 9:31 my friend’s husband called her pretty immediately and said what happened - why did they cut the game. At 9:44 I texted my husband and my mom saying they say we can calmly evacuate.


DP. I was there as well, and my gripe is with the delay in telling people to stay put. On top of which, the ushers and gate attendants in my area *told* us to leave. That was after we waited several minutes after the players left before we even started up to the concourse. If they knew enough to evacuate the players, they could have also made an announcement in the stadium and/or communicated the plan via radio to the people working the gates. They should have a plan to immediately lock down the stadium for situations like this. I was already out of the stadium when the announcement to stay put went out. Not to mention the fact that, with all the gates open, if someone had been trying to shoot their way in, it would have been quite easy. The security prep here was non-existent, and it’s not like a shooting at a ballpark is a “black swan” event.


Back to add that the club level seats behind home plate were emptied out immediately & this is quite apparent from the video of last night. In fact, we were sitting nearby, and seeing that section empty was a factor in our decision to leave. So, *some* of the ushers were told what to do. Also, the video of the “stay in the stadium” announcement also clearly shows a virtually empty stadium.


I was sitting in those seats behind home plate, in section 124 (hey, I was invited to a company's recruiting event and wasn't about to turn down a chance to check out the Diamond Club). I was up and out of my seat within 10 seconds of hearing the gunshots (no way they could be mistaken for fireworks, IMO) and it sounded like it was coming from inside the stadium, somewhere in the 3rd base side. No one was directing anyone in the section, and I only moved after considering my options, the calculus being it's better to be inside than out in the open. By then, there was already a crowd of people leaving the stands through the Diamond Club doors, then through the exit right outside. I hesitated at the exit, thinking it might be safer inside the concourse, but the second set of gunshots rang out and the gate attendant told us to run. If there was some "ushers [that] were told what to do" in that section, they certainly didn't come around to tell me. My theory why that section might have emptied out so quickly is because a) the Diamond Club can fit a lot of people who also didn't feel like being sitting ducks, and b) the home plate exit is right outside the entrance to the Diamond Club. To suggest that some people got preferential treatment during an active shooter situation is a little messed up.

Also, second the 15 minute timeline, based on text messages between me and my wife at home refreshing Twitter for any info:
9:31 - I text her "I'm ok" from outside the stadium
9:42 - she sent me a picture of the "...incident is outside...remain inside..." up on the board inside the stadium
9:47 - @Nationals posts to exit via CF and RF gates


Thanks for also confirming there was a second set of gunshots! I was with 3 friends - and two of us heard the second set and the third didnt. And yesterday I said to them - “I haven’t seen any press on the second set of gunshots. Did it really happen or did we hallucinate it?




+1. I was just outside the gate (the gate attendants directed us to leave the stadium) when we heard the second set of gunshots and everyone yelled “run!” and scattered. I wondered later if I had imagined it, as well (but I clearly wasn’t the only one).

As for timing, my teen was up in the concourse and we talked at 9:31 (per my phone), and I know that first set of gunshots was at least several minutes before that, as we heard the noise, saw the players had disappeared, wondered if that was gunfire, watched people running from the third base line, talked about what to do, noticed the club seats were empty, and, had started halfway up the stairs, which was slowly moving line. Fifteen minutes is a *long* time when something like that is going on. Lots of people — like me— went straight out toward the incident, because that’s what the ushers *told* them to do. Like I said, there is no excuse for them not having the ability to at least lock down the stadium exits almost instantaneously. Was there *no one* from security on that side of the stadium who could see what was going on and who could communicate to the head of security?

I just talked to someone who used work with food vendors at the stadium, and they said it’s been clear to them for a while that the Nats had no plan about how to handle an incident like this. I’ve been in buildings where there were shooting and other security breach incidents and the lock down/evacuate orders come almost instantaneously. The Nats/DC government don’t want to admit it, but a major security review is in order.
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2021 20:23     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Went to the Nats vs. Marlins game tonight. It was a blowout, we had a blast. I don't cower in constant fear of everything like the resident right wingers.

You are welcome to stay home, out there in Mayberry, cowering in fear, clenching your AR-15s. The rest of us are enjoying life.


Good job?

You seem super proud of yourself just for going to a ball game.


Didn't really have anything to do with pride but if that's the angle then it sure beats the hell out of being proud of yourself for having an AR-15 and considering yourself to be a tough guy yet actually being too cowardly to go and enjoy a baseball game.


I own over a dozen AR’s and have season tickets.

I guess I’m even braver than you are.


I think the word you meant was "more of a bragger" than "braver"
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2021 14:23     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Went to the Nats vs. Marlins game tonight. It was a blowout, we had a blast. I don't cower in constant fear of everything like the resident right wingers.

You are welcome to stay home, out there in Mayberry, cowering in fear, clenching your AR-15s. The rest of us are enjoying life.


Good job?

You seem super proud of yourself just for going to a ball game.


Didn't really have anything to do with pride but if that's the angle then it sure beats the hell out of being proud of yourself for having an AR-15 and considering yourself to be a tough guy yet actually being too cowardly to go and enjoy a baseball game.


I own over a dozen AR’s and have season tickets.

I guess I’m even braver than you are.
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2021 13:36     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Went to the Nats vs. Marlins game tonight. It was a blowout, we had a blast. I don't cower in constant fear of everything like the resident right wingers.

You are welcome to stay home, out there in Mayberry, cowering in fear, clenching your AR-15s. The rest of us are enjoying life.


Good job?

You seem super proud of yourself just for going to a ball game.


LOL. Right? Put hat PP in the line of fire, when you don't know where the shooter is, and all you have to protect you is an open baseball field. Bet there was a ton of police presence in light of Saturday nights shootings (plural), other PP. COWARD.


^ Triggered insecure snowflake thinks he needs to bring his AR-15 to a baseball game while calling others "coward" = deep, burning, self-unaware IRONY.

And no, there wasn't any more police or security present than usual.
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2021 13:24     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Went to the Nats vs. Marlins game tonight. It was a blowout, we had a blast. I don't cower in constant fear of everything like the resident right wingers.

You are welcome to stay home, out there in Mayberry, cowering in fear, clenching your AR-15s. The rest of us are enjoying life.


Good job?

You seem super proud of yourself just for going to a ball game.


Didn't really have anything to do with pride but if that's the angle then it sure beats the hell out of being proud of yourself for having an AR-15 and considering yourself to be a tough guy yet actually being too cowardly to go and enjoy a baseball game.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 13:24     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:Went to the Nats vs. Marlins game tonight. It was a blowout, we had a blast. I don't cower in constant fear of everything like the resident right wingers.

You are welcome to stay home, out there in Mayberry, cowering in fear, clenching your AR-15s. The rest of us are enjoying life.


You're like a 1 and 0 type of person, aren't you?
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 13:23     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
*that
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 12:53     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Went to the Nats vs. Marlins game tonight. It was a blowout, we had a blast. I don't cower in constant fear of everything like the resident right wingers.

You are welcome to stay home, out there in Mayberry, cowering in fear, clenching your AR-15s. The rest of us are enjoying life.


Good job?

You seem super proud of yourself just for going to a ball game.


LOL. Right? Put hat PP in the line of fire, when you don't know where the shooter is, and all you have to protect you is an open baseball field. Bet there was a ton of police presence in light of Saturday nights shootings (plural), other PP. COWARD.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 11:55     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Poverty is good for vibrancy. Get with it.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 11:13     Subject: Re:Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:Honest question, why do we try to grandfather in subsidized housing and why do we spend inordinate amounts of time worrying about whether people might have to move if prices increase? I read a study that humans are preprogrammed to always intrinsically root for the underdog, but why so much care? Shouldn’t they just move like everyone else? Why so certain segments of society get such extra special care?

I get regulations that specific a certain amount of housing built should have a workforce housing component (like 20% of a 250 unit building should be reserved for people making 50% Ami), but what is the incentive to grandfather in subsidized housing in places like res 13, which in turn creates a culture of dependence by allowing the same generation of family to live rent free in perpetuity? It doesn’t help the city. Is it some equity focused thing? If so, how does that help equity? It seems like just breeds contempt from tax payers.


Because the left now wants to call anyone racist for not wanting concentrated poverty in their area. When it's not about race at all it's about not creating what you mentioned which is concentrated general poverty. People don't oppose affordable housing because they are racist, they just don't think it's the best policy solution.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 10:58     Subject: Re:Shooting outside Nats Park
Honest question, why do we try to grandfather in subsidized housing and why do we spend inordinate amounts of time worrying about whether people might have to move if prices increase? I read a study that humans are preprogrammed to always intrinsically root for the underdog, but why so much care? Shouldn’t they just move like everyone else? Why so certain segments of society get such extra special care?

I get regulations that specific a certain amount of housing built should have a workforce housing component (like 20% of a 250 unit building should be reserved for people making 50% Ami), but what is the incentive to grandfather in subsidized housing in places like res 13, which in turn creates a culture of dependence by allowing the same generation of family to live rent free in perpetuity? It doesn’t help the city. Is it some equity focused thing? If so, how does that help equity? It seems like just breeds contempt from tax payers.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 10:39     Subject: Re:Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The problem is anti-gentrification and anti-police presence sentiment. I agree we should send social workers to help drug addicts, instead of police, but really we are getting soft in so many ways. The push toward amorphous equity goals and shoving in affordable housing wherever we can only fosters crime.

Seriously. It sucks to hear it.

The most recent comprehensive plan was contentious and finally hashed out, after a bunch of religious affordable housing advocates and others protested the lack of extreme low income housing (less than 30% ami) being included in the plan. So now, places like Reservation 13 can expect to have a ton of subsidized housing, which only grandfathers in poverty. That whole area is going to be all affordable housing. You will see multiple generations of people living in the same subsidized housing and it’ll be another Potomac Gardens situation where there is a ton of crime surrounding a project.

We need to stop seeing people as being “displaced” if they can afford the rent. Let a city gentrify. Let it get better. If people can’t afford it let them move to places they can. When you keep poverty stricken people housed in perpetuity their offspring commit crimes. I know everyone likes to root for the underdog and all that, but seriously if you didn’t build projects or let the market work as it should dc would get a ton safer. But then certain council members would lose their constituents and blah blah. So this will repeat ad infinitum as another poster noted. Everyone is so obsessed with housing poor people who are the cause of crime.


You hit the nail on the head with this, and couldn't agree more. There are so many subsidized loans in place to allow people to buy homes with incredibly low down payments. We should be ok with people moving to a far outer suburb because it means they can buy and maintain a small beautiful home, but instead we build inner city housing projects and give people section 8 vouchers. The housing projects turn into dumps because no one can afford to maintain them properly, and residents aren't incentivized to take care of anything.

When was the last “inner city housing project” built?


It doesn't have to be built by HUD for it to effectively be a project. There was an article the other week about a complex built in the 80s in DC that used to be nice, and now is run down because it's setup for "affordable" housing. The owners of the property can't make enough margins to maintain it, and now people are clamoring for the city to take it over and invest in it. This is the same thing that will happen with all of the 66% "affordable" buildings they are trying to build on Reservation 13. Developer is paid to build project, hands it off to a property manager. Property manager can't make enough at those rent levels to properly maintain, building falls into disrepair and is already a center of concentrated poverty.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2021 10:38     Subject: Shooting outside Nats Park
Anonymous wrote:Went to the Nats vs. Marlins game tonight. It was a blowout, we had a blast. I don't cower in constant fear of everything like the resident right wingers.

You are welcome to stay home, out there in Mayberry, cowering in fear, clenching your AR-15s. The rest of us are enjoying life.


Good job?

You seem super proud of yourself just for going to a ball game.