Dear Readers,
We have just under three weeks left in our campaign to keep Homicide Watch DC operating. The response has been tremendous—417 people have given $16,075 as of Friday morning—but we have a long way to go. If we don’t reach $40,000 by Sept. 13, this site will go idle.
In the meantime, we’ve been collecting letters and comments from readers about what Homicide Watch DC has meant to the community. If you’d like to share your story, please leave a comment below, or email us laura@homicidewatch.org and chris@homicidewatch.org.
Aisha Jones, whose brother Angelo Jones was killed in 2010, wrote:
I am the sister of Angelo Jones who was gunned down and killed in Oct 2, 2010 I don’t have a job, but I do know that in order to keep homicide Watch .org available Mr& Mrs. Amico needs donations to keep it up and running, I understand that people don’t have a job but I feel if a person can spend $10 on a bottle of wine or eat at the carryout when they have food that money could be going to Homicide watch .org to keep the coverage going, I cant speak for others I can only speak for myself, it lets me know when I come on to this site that I am not alone, there are other families going through the same thing I am, and if I can give anyone can,PLEASE LETS KEEP THIS SITE RUNNING FOR THOSE WHO CANT SPEAK OR OUR LOVED ONES WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED!
THANK YOU
AISHA JONES
Reader Grateful wrote:
Just want to say “Thank You” for creating Homicide Watch. I would love to start the same thing for Baltimore, MD. I don’t live in Washington, DC but something drew me to this site. In 2010 my co-worker was murdered in DC. I hate to see the site come to an end, and wish I had more money I could contribute, and give. Thank You for putting a face to victims of violence. God Bless You and Thank You for Marking every death, and Remembering “Every Victim”!!!
Councilman Jim Graham wrote this on a neighborhood email list:
Friends:
I want to publicly thank Laura Amico for her extraordinary efforts and commitment in establishing and maintaining the “Homicide Watch” website. Laura has been named a Nieman - Berkman Fellow and will begin studying “journalism innovation” at Harvard University this fall. Over the last two years, Laura, through Homicide Watch, has provided a rare glimpse into the lives of victims of homicides and their families that is rarely seen. Prior to Homicide Watch, most homicides in the District were classified just as a number and would be usually forgotten by most of us - - other than the families and close friends - - by the next news cycle.
Laura provides pictures of the victims, the memorials that would often be erected near the scene of the crime, and she posts the heart-breaking remembrances from family members and friends. Homicide Watch reminds all of us — violence affects all of us — it is not inevitable — and all of us have a role in stopping it. Laura’s writing is always respectful, compassionate, and balanced.
When MPD makes arrests in cases, Homicide Watch is usually the first to publicly post the information. The website provides regular updates on the status of court hearings on each homicide and the eventual court and jury decisions. “Tracking every case” and “never forgetting the loss” has brought a sense of healing to thousands of District residents whose loved ones have been killed.
As Laura plans her move to Boston, she is making an appeal to all of us to make sure the site continues. Please open the link below to learn more about the innovative internship program Laura has created and ways for all of us to support it. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1368665357/a-one-year-student-reporting-lab-within-homicide-w
Our heartfelt thanks to Laura and best wishes in her continued success.
