Residents in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland are upset about their streets not being plowed after many neighborhoods saw lots of snow accumulation. (7News/SkyTrak) Scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and evening. Some may become severe with large hail and high winds. TRACK RADARPrince George's residents furious about unplowed streets in neighborhoods following stormby 7News Staff Maryland are upset about their streets not being plowed after many neighborhoods saw lots of snow accumulation 7News photographer Isa Silva saw a homeowner putting up yellow tape to warn drivers of the icy conditions READ MORE | California wildfires burn at at least 10,000 structures, officials urge evacuations so there's no way to get out of our homes," said Thomas Nash "We have a lot of elderly people who live in our neighborhood and suppose a medical emergency were to arise there's no way we could get out or people could come in." He walked to the nearest grocery store a mile away and when he ordered an Uber back home the driver was unable to drive him down his street to drop him off The Prince George's County Public Works Department said the delay is due to prioritizing primary and secondary roads taking attention away from suburban streets Crews have begun using new chemicals to speed up the break down of the ice Prince George’s County police have identified the man killed in a three-vehicle crash in Hillcrest Heights According to police was driving eastbound on Wheeler Road near Southern Avenue around 9:30 p.m when his vehicle collided with a motor scooter and then with an SUV Those inside the SUV were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Police said they’re still trying to figure out what caused the deadly crash Police encourage anyone with information to contact Prince George’s County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477 or submit a tip using the P3 Tips app Below is a map of the area where the crash took place: WTOP’s Thomas Robertson contributed to this report Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Ivy Lyons is a digital journalist for WTOP.com 2024 (Update): New renderings have been released of Beyond Wellness’ new location in Hillcrest ———————————————— a wellness center with locations in Lonsdale and west Little Rock plans to open a new location in the Hillcrest area of Little Rock in early winter “We’re happy to be able to answer the calls of all of our patrons over there on that side of Little Rock and bring our services to that side of town and we want to increase our reach because we know that there are a lot of people that are looking for what we have to offer.” a stand-alone building on Beechwood Street across from Kroger will receive an overhaul to achieve the same state-of-the-art features as the west Little Rock facility The new center will allow the practice to provide some additional services fun things to the Hillcrest/Heights area that they don’t have there at all so I think people are going to be really excited about that,” she said She added that Beyond Wellness plans to bring on some new providers in addition to nurse practitioner Christa Jackson and aesthetic injector Sidney Bennett both of whom will practice at both locations members can visit both centers to access self-service wellness tools such as red-light beds “If somebody lives in one direction and works in another they can take advantage of both locations,” she added She said she looks forward to providing easier access to those who live and work downtown and Beyond Wellness also plans to open a fourth location in a new part of the state Founded in 2022, Beyond Wellness provides a range of holistic wellness services geared toward helping patrons look and feel their best “Our approach is really a wellness/longevity approach where we are taking care of our patients inside and out,” Huneycutt said so we definitely try to take care of people from a holistic approach and then offer them aesthetic services to kind of correct and enhance along the way.” For more information about Beyond Wellness, click here READ ALSO: UA LITTLE ROCK’S NURSING PROGRAM ADDRESSES POST-PANDEMIC SHORTAGE Copyright © 2025 Arkansas Money and Politics. All rights reserved. TRACK RADARHillcrest Heights residents brace for winter storm demand better road clearing responseby Christian Flores WASHINGTON (7News) — As crews across the DMV prepare to clear snow and ice during the winter weather forecasted to begin Tuesday Angela Fontaine said she is hoping her community is not forgotten again Fontaine lives in the Hillcrest Heights area and remembers how she was snowed in during last month's storm "We were very disappointed that our streets were not tended to I think there was about a week that went by before we actually got Department of Public Works to come through These streets were iced over," Fontaine said Hillcrest Heights is riddled with hilly streets compounding the issue of the icy conditions This left neighbors like Fontaine worried about their ability to get necessities or emergency services while the roads remained caked in ice "We have a lot of elderly people in this neighborhood For anyone who needed 911 or any kind of emergency assistance it would have been very hard for them to come down," Fontaine said This delay in service caught the attention of county leaders Prince George's County Council Member Edward Burroughs III told 7News he was disappointed in the delays to road plowing and sidewalk shoveling services last month "Our residents pay among the highest property taxes in the region It's important when they need basic government services that those basic government services are performed," Burroughs said "We had senior citizens miss doctors appointments It has a huge impact on so many vulnerable populations." He gathered his friends and local nonprofits to shovel neighbors out of their homes we all got together and we started to shovel our residents out," Burroughs said "It is not something that should have to happen It's not something I hope will have to happen this week but if necessary our team will be out there." 7News On Your Side reached out to the Prince George's County Department of Public Works to ask how they planned on adjusting their road prep and response plans after last month's complaints but nobody has responded as of publication "We are definitely in contact with the Department of Transportation and Public Works around our expectations regarding this upcoming snow storm," Burroughs said "It's important that the Department of Transportation and Public Works learned from some of the hiccups from the last snowstorm and improve communities across the DMV will be similarly watching how their local crews respond to potentially rough road conditions VDOT crews have already put down brine on roads "[Brining] really reduces that bond of the snow and ice to the pavement so when we go to push the snow we can push it and it won't be as much of a problem As we head overnight into tomorrow morning that's when we'll start mobilizing and get some of our crews staged on the area roads," said VDOT Northern Virginia Communications Manager Alex Liggitt crews have already gathered 136 heavy plows and 82 light plows for snow clearing with salting scheduled to begin at midnight Tuesday The heavy plows will be used to treat highways while the light plows will be used for smaller neighborhood streets Plowing can begin once there is approximately two inches of snow accumulation "We actually plan months and months and months in advance there's always some takeaways when we do an actual reassessment of how our operations went like an after-action review," said DC Department of Public Works Director of Communications Kevin Cartwright "We typically have hundreds upon hundreds of staff as drivers other folks will be out on the roads shoveling when need be and making sure these roadways are passable for motorists Officials are urging people to stay clear of plow trucks and minimize street parking Fontaine said she will closely watch whether or not her community gets a quick response "We just want to make sure this area is also looked upon when it comes to treating our streets We want to make sure we get the same attention as someone that lives in another area," Fontaine said they will come correct and that they'll do a better job." Police have charged a man in connection to a homemade pipe bomb found Wednesday in a storage unit in Prince George’s County has been charged with possession of an explosive device as well as the illegal possession of ammunition according to Prince George’s County police Workers cleaning out a unit at a storage facility on Suitland Road near Ewing Avenue in the Hillcrest Heights area called 911 when they found a 12-inch long steel pipe with a fuse a spokesman for the Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department told WTOP The Prince George’s County Fire Department bomb squad unit confirmed it was an explosive device and disabled it about four hours later Criss was arrested when he returned to the storage unit Thursday responders found ballistic resistant body armor and a variety of ammunition Criss is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to a previous criminal conviction He is currently being held by the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the PGPD’s Major Crimes Division at 301-516-2500 Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Valerie Bonk started working at WTOP in 2016 and has lived in Howard County, Maryland, her entire life. She's thrilled to be a reporter for WTOP telling stories on air. She works as both a television and radio reporter in the Maryland and D.C. areas.  Copyright © 2025 by WTOP. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. First Alert Weather Team will be on STORM ALERT with the risk for scattered storms across the region. Some of the storms may be severe. Check the radarSend us your photosMetrobus to stop running through community near Md.-DC line after cease-and-desistby Tom Roussey (7News) — After about a half-century of providing bus service inside the Forest Hill Apartments complex in the Hillcrest Heights area near the D.C Metro said it will stop running buses through the community this weekend after a cease-and-desist letter from the complex’s lawyers in addition to no longer running through the Forest Hill complex Metrobus’ P12 route will no longer stop on Wheeler Hills Road where buses pick up residents at the Homes at Oxon Hill senior apartment complex residents of that community and Forest Hill Apartments will still be able to catch P12 buses on nearby Southern Avenue Metro said it’s eliminating the stops for the senior community on Wheeler Hills Road because it no longer has a direct route through Forest Hill Apartments to get to them Based on walking directions provided by Google Maps it appears the most affected residents of the two communities will walk about a fifth mile longer than the one they currently have to make not only will the walk be longer for residents of the senior community Instead of an easy walk through the parking lot to the bus stop residents -- many of whom use canes -- will in most cases have to navigate down steps to catch the bus on busy Southern Avenue “This is a 62 and older property," said Rhonda Proctor the community manager for the Homes at Oxon Hill "They don’t want to go outside anyway and then to have to walk all the way down and catch the bus because when I do go to work and I come home I like to take the P12 because it drops me off right here," said Homes at Oxon Hill resident Denice Lacey who added that she was concerned about safety: "Especially at night Because if you’re coming off Southern Avenue it’s a lot of traffic...Southern Avenue is not good late at night.” cease-and-desist letter sent by a law firm representing Forest Hill Apartments that threatened a lawsuit against Metro if it did not stop running buses on the apartment complex’s property “Although Forest Hill Apartments did not initially object because the route benefited the residents of the Property the heavy buses have been significantly impacting and damaging the asphalt road on the Property,” Elliott Engel of the law firm Berman WMATA has refused to repair the damages to the roads permission to use the private road of the Forest Hill Apartments is hereby revoked.” Metro did not comment Thursday on the accusation that its buses were damaging the property’s roads The transit agency said it is rerouting P12 buses because of the demands made in the letter Metro said riders can continue to board P12 buses at the following locations near the communities: More than four hours before Prince George’s County Council member Krystal Oriadha’s annual holiday turkey giveaway was to get started a line of cars formed at the William Beanes Community Center in Hillcrest Heights A single mother of five told WTOP that 12 cars were in line when she pulled up at 9 a.m a half hour before the first turkey would be handed out there were cars wrapped around the parking lot and down Diana Drive The mood of the people waiting for the turkey because there’s a lot of people that lost jobs a lot of people that are homeless and can’t afford food “So this is a great help for families during Thanksgiving time.” Keenen waited in her car a few spots ahead of Eugene Cotton who was told about the giveaway by his sister “I think it’s excellent,” Cotton said “You have a lot of people that’s not working or even retired like myself and they can’t afford everything in the grocery store.” Another retired person in line outside the parking lot was Sharon Dorcey The former custodian for Prince George’s County Schools rolled her window down and waved telling WTOP: “This is a blessing for me and my family.” The giveaway was a partnership between Oriadha and Judge Me Now Edu. Inc The founder of the nonprofit has a special reason to give back to the community at this time of the year her birthday is on Thanksgiving,” said Takia Toomer “I know my mom would be extremely proud to see that shook hands and thanked every person there to the students volunteering their time and to the families “I sponsored this out of my own budget,” said Oriadha I think it’s really important to me to give back I think when I look at the resources they give us as a council member The county council member believes that her constituents appreciate how the event is organized “They don’t have to put their name on a list and come out and apply for assistance Sometimes there’s shame in saying ‘I need help’ get the resources that they need and leave is something that the community is really appreciative of,” Oriadha said © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Jimmy Alexander has been a part of the D.C. media scene as a reporter for DC News Now and a long-standing voice on the Jack Diamond Morning Show. Now, Alexander brings those years spent interviewing newsmakers like President Bill Clinton, Paul McCartney and Sean Connery, to the WTOP Newsroom. TRACK RADARMan shot to death in Hillcrest Heights (7News) — A man was shot to death on Monday evening in Prince George's County according to the Prince George's County Police Department officers said they responded to the 3200 block of Naylor Road in Hillcrest Heights later identified as 31-year-old Daysean Roberts of Temple Hills READ|3-year-old girl injured by apparent self-inflicted gunshot in Montgomery County: Police Police said that no arrest has been made yet in connection to the shooting A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of the person Detectives are asking anyone with information to call them at 301-516-2512 (7News) — World-renowned artist Stevie Wonder was spotted at a Maryland mall and several social media users captured photos with him during his visit to the DMV area Wonder was seen getting cookies at Pro Cakes in Iverson Mall in Hillcrest Heights The bakery shared the interaction on social media, saying “The legend #StevieWonder blessed Iverson Mall today and stopped past Pro Cakes to try the best cookies in the DMV!” Several fans also stopped to take photos with wonder in D.C musicians and athletes to make the occasional trip to the DMV area However, for Wonder, it could be because his wife, Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, is a Prince George’s County native, hailing from Oxon Hill, according to the Washington Informer. Wonder married Bracy in 2017 and has been spotted in the DMV area several times since then In May, Wonder surprised Johns Hopkins University graduates with a performance during a commencement ceremony after receiving an honorary degree from the university. TRACK RADARAfter man killed outside Hillcrest Heights liquor store residents demand action on crime hotspotby Brad Bell (7News) — It happened Thursday just before 6 p.m was gunned down on Naylor Road in front of 51 Liquors in Hillcrest Heights It is at least the third shooting in the area this year A man who lives in the Marlborough House apartments across the street told 7News that shooting is a regular occurrence “You’ll be chillin’ in your house and you hear gunshots,” he said a woman who lives nearby sent 7News On Your Side a text pleading for help RELATED | 19-year-old DC man shot, killed outside Prince George's County liquor store, police say “I can’t even walk my dog down that side because of the gunfire. Can you please do a story? All these people are getting killed!” she said. On Friday, 7News went to 51 Liquors and spoke to the man behind the bulletproof glass asking if the store is a problem. "Anywhere it can happen like this. People can walk outside and they get robbed. It’s not with the store," the man told 7News. However, in Prince George’s County, there is a process called nuisance abatement used to close crime magnets. 7News asked county police and officials if that is happening. We later learned the process has begun. This is the statement from the Department of Permits Inspections and Enforcement: Citizen participation is helpful to the NAB. The hearings are virtual and open to the public. Oral and written testimony is accepted from the public. Residents with information related to entities scheduled to appear before the board may participate in the process by: 1. Contacting the police at 911 to report an emergency or suspected illegal activity in progress at the location or to report non-emergency complaints to 301-352-1200 2. Reporting suspected County code violations to PGC311 3. Testifying before the board about suspected nuisance activity.” Check the radarSend us your photosMan shot to death in parking lot at Southern Ave Metro Station; suspect wantedby 7News Staff (7News) — A man was shot to death in the parking lot at the Southern Ave Officers responded to the scene of the shooting in Hillcrest Heights the man could not be saved and was declared dead at the scene Police said they are attempting to identify and find a suspect who fled the scene Green Line trains were temporarily bypassing the station and Metrobus routes were adjusted while police investigated The Southern Avenue Station was later reopened and all transit service was restored The man was not identified and his age is unknown The final steel beam for the new outpatient pavilion was positioned while team members looked on in admiration and pride A celebratory Topping Out ceremony at UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest has marked the approximate halfway point for construction of a new outpatient pavilion part of the first phase of a comprehensive revitalization project for the medical campus.  2023 — provided an opportunity for UC San Diego Health staff to sign the final steel beam before it was raised 100 feet in the air and placed in the structural frame of the building “Now that the final steel beam for the outpatient pavilion has been placed we are one step closer to opening this modern medical center as a regional destination for patients,” said UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K “This facility will boost access to our top-quality medical education drive development and delivery of innovative treatments and cures and expand access to our exceptional patient care experience – improving health outcomes in our region and worldwide.”  The 250,000-square-foot outpatient pavilion is anticipated to open in 2025 and will house specialty clinical programs as well as ambulatory surgery operating rooms “This historic milestone is a visible representation of not only the progress made but also the number of people involved in expanding access to the region’s No 1 health care provider,” said Patty Maysent “The new outpatient pavilion greatly increases our capacity to serve our community and provide life-saving novel and compassionate care to patients and their loved ones.” The project is part of the UC San Diego Long Range Development Plan which encompasses approximately 60 acres and the redevelopment of the more than 50-year-old Hillcrest campus Complementing the new academic medical facilities and services will be new housing and fitness facilities The outpatient pavilion will address the growing demand for specialized diagnostic new and significant space for multispecialty cancer clinics and infusion centers will allow UC San Diego Health and Moores Cancer Center its National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center to greatly increase access to cancer care for patients throughout the region “We will improve quality of lives in the new outpatient pavilion — ranging from regular checkups for orthopedic care to infusion therapy for cancer treatment,” said Lisa Rhodes chief administrative officer for the Hillcrest redevelopment plan at UC San Diego Health “Our multi-disciplinary teams will provide support services and the highest quality of care for San Diegans during their most vulnerable moments and throughout their health care journeys.” UC San Diego Breaks Ground on Revitalization of Hillcrest Campus has seen the transformation from the inside out He completed a fellowship and trained at UC San Diego Medical Center at Hillcrest in 1995 He stayed at UC San Diego School of Medicine eventually serving as chief of the Division of Gastroenterology before moving to the University of Michigan to take on the role of the chair of the Department of Internal Medicine Carethers returned to UC San Diego as its vice chancellor for Health Sciences where he leads the overarching strategy for all of Health Sciences by fostering research collaboration there has been spectacular growth at UC San Diego Health and I’m so proud of the impressive national reputation our institution has received for its leading-edge medicine,” said Carethers “This new facility provides space for more of our top-rated physician-scientists to deliver state-of-the-art therapies while also training the next generation of physicians and care givers.” The first phase of construction for the overall project also includes a new parking structure to provide approximately 1,850 spaces for employees plus related road and utility infrastructure More than 1,000 local construction workers from a variety of trades worked 305,000 hours to bring the project to this point.  Adorned with an American Flag and a symbolic tree — which is traditionally included in these ceremonies — the final steel beam for the outpatient pavilion was positioned while approximately 400 crewmembers looked on in admiration and pride of their achievements thus far.  hugged in celebration while the crowd below erupted in cheers and applause “Everyone on our site knows that what we’re building is going to affect the lives of people in the community and the joy that knowledge brings was truly palpable during the Topping Out ceremony,” said Ian Pyka but it could also be our own families who come here for care.  “Everyone who is part of this project has a deep understanding and appreciation of how all the efforts underway are creating a place for remarkable health care.” The $2.5 to $3 billion revitalization project is expected to continue over approximately 15 years The project is necessary to comply with 2030 seismic safety provisions of the California Hospital Code Planned upgrades for UC San Diego’s Hillcrest campus will be synchronized to reduce impact on the surrounding community while ensuring current critical campus functions remain operational This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Read our WAMU Privacy Notice. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Marquise White, a teacher at the Maya Angelou French Immersion school in Hillcrest Heights, Md., posted the TikTok live stream, sitting down as a few students removed his braids, on May 5. Following the viral video—which has garnered 7.4 million views and more than 21,000 comments—several people have defended the teacher, while others have criticized his behavior. The caption of the video read: “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Teaching is a work of heart. Comment your thoughts #teacher #teachersoftiktok #teacherproblems #millenialsoftiktok #middleschool.” In another video, which he posted the following day, he documented one student painting his nails. “The student you see in this video has goals and aspirations to be a nail tech … Her mom literally watches my videos all the time. Not only does she love my content, but she signed a media release form for her daughter so she can be in my videos,” White explained in the video voice-over. Over the weekend, White released a video via YouTube. During the hour and twelve-minute long clip, White addressed the public criticism. Initially he explained that the incident occurred during the “last ten minutes of class on a Friday.” However, he can agree with some viewers who found the viral interaction “unprofessional.” “I’m not negating that — me getting my hair unbraided at the school, my place of employment, yes, that was highly unprofessional,” he explained. However, White explained that he is what he would call an unprofessional, eclectic, unconventional teacher. From there, White explained how he doesn’t feel uncomfortable teaching while showing the tattoos on his arms and legs. “Like, I will do these things because they don’t affect my efficacy as a teacher,” he said. “If anything, I think it enhances it…” Despite his view, White admitted that the ordeal was still “unprofessional” even though “it was a one time thing.” “First and last time, I’ve never done that before,” he said. “I needed help, I was in a bind and I didn’t have the time to take out my hair.” A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) NaJahari Meade was just 1. NyJae Meade was 6, and their sister Jayla Brown was 9. All three little girls perished in a terrible fire in their family home in Hillcrest Heights early Monday morning “My babies,"says their grieving Grandmother Larine Hurd They loved both of their families and they just were beautiful little girls." Hurd’s son Nick Meade and his fiancé Janise Creek and their children were all asleep when a fire started in the kitchen of their Hillcrest Heights home Monday morning Janise and an older child made it out but Nick collapsed in the house as he tried to save the girls Meade remains hospitalized with serious injuries It was only yesterday that he was awakened for the first time since the fire His family had to tell him that the girls are gone Hurd says it will be a long road to recovery and the family appreciates the fundraising going on to help them OneGoFundMe campaign has raised more than $50,000, and a second one has raised nearly $5,000. Hurd says there are medical bills and funeral expenses. She says somehow the survivors will have to rebuild their lives. “There’s no words that can explain it,” says Hurd, “I still feel like it’s a dream but life does go on and I just have to go forward.” TRACK RADARMan shot and killed in Hillcrest Heights identifiedby 7News (7News) — A man who was shot and killed early Thursday morning in Hillcrest Heights Maryland has been identified as 46-year-old Bernard Savoy of Temple Hills Officers responded for a reported shooting at 6:30 a.m they found Savoy suffering from apparent gunshot wounds Prince George's County Police say the victim died at the scene and there's no information on a suspect at this time The shooting occurred in the 2300 block of Anvil Lane TRACKING CRIME IN YOUR AREA WASHINGTON — A person died in a fire in Hillcrest Heights and investigators are working to determine the cause was found on the home’s basement after fire crews put out a blaze in the single-story home on the 1900 block of Callaway Street firefighters found fire showing in the basement Crews found hoarding conditions throughout the house Prince George’s County Assistant Fire Chief Alan C Doubleday tells WTOP the fire department is seeming more fires involving “excessive storage.” “From the report from the firefighters it was 2 or 3 feet of storage materials throughout the whole basement which creates a unique challenge for us and zero visibility,” he said The home partially collapsed as firefighters put it out The partial collapse occurred when a steel beam weakened from the heat WTOP’s Dennis Foley contributed to this story Colleen Kelleher is an award-winning journalist who has been with WTOP since 1996 Kelleher joined WTOP as the afternoon radio writer and night and weekend editor and made the move to WTOP.com in 2001 Now she works early mornings as the site's Senior Digital Editor The mother of the three little girls killed in a house fire Monday in Hillcrest Heights has spoken about the horror of losing her children “If you would’ve told me that, that would’ve been the last time, me kissing my babies, putting them to bed and saying goodnight. That that would’ve been my last time seeing them. I don’t wish this on nobody,” said Janise Creek, speaking with NBC Washington. She described her girls as full of personality was headed to the fourth grade this fall and her 6-year-old Creek said the fire department told her the fire started in the kitchen Everything just expanded that fast,” she added The cause of the fire hasn’t been confirmed and a GoFundMe has been set up for the family. Melissa Howell joined WTOP Radio in March 2018 and is excited to cover stories that matter across D.C., as well as in Maryland and Virginia.  TRACK RADAR1 shot at 7-Eleven in Prince George's County: Policeby 7News Staff (7News) — A shooting took place at a 7-Eleven in Prince George's County Tuesday night The alleged shooting was in the 3300 block of Branch Avenue in Hillcrest Heights A man was reportedly shot and his injuries are considered serious No information on a suspect or a vehicle has been released (7News) — Just days after being shot in the head while raking leaves in his front yard 13-year-old Jayz Agnew was pronounced dead Friday night according to family and Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy Agnew was tragically shot in the head and arm while in the yard of a home in theHillcrest Heights area of Prince George’s County the night of Nov While driving to the hospital to deal with final arrangements told 7News the family is still processing what happened "No one plans to have a funeral for their child No one plans to make tough decisions regarding end-of-life care for their child It's difficult on so many different spectrums in terms of our loss of a family member and safety concerns for our home because this happened at our place of residence," Agnew said "When you have this kind of crime happen at home you relive that every single day you go home It's going to be such a long journey for us to heal and to move on." she and the rest of the family are distraught because they thought their children would be safe at their front yard instead of wandering around the neighborhood "That was the hardest thing for me to grasp 'Don't go wandering around the neighborhood make sure you let me know where you go.' Those parameters I had in place for him It hurts to know that's what he did and still violence came to his house," Agnew said the family is trying to remember the good times with Jayz and never caused problems with her and his father That's one thing I know that bothers me because I can't even think of the fact somebody wanted to hurt him," Agnew said You didn't have to worry about him talking back or any of that." He already knew what he wanted to do when he grew up "He wanted to specifically be a doctor in the emergency room," Agnew said and I didn't know where the emergency room doctor thing came from." As difficult as this has been for the entire family Agnew said she is most worried about Jayz's younger sister "I can only imagine how her little 6-year-old mind is processing this because it's tough for me Had it not been for her getting COVID the day before she would have been out there with her in the grass really hard for us on multiple levels," Agnew said Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy released the following statement Saturday in response to news Jayz died: Prince George's County police do not believe that Agnew was an intended target and detectives have not released a suspect description They are offering a cash reward for any information leading to an arrest Agnew said money should not be the only reason witnesses should come forward "Trouble doesn't only knock on one person's door 'Let's come together.' Any information you may know we have to come together and say any little bit of information because this is not going to be another case that is cold This is not going to be another case that goes unsolved," Agnew said The Agnew family has put up a Gofundme that can be found hereand encourages anyone with information to reach out to the tipline at1-866-411-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case. Two people are dead after two separate shootings in Prince George County, Maryland, Friday evening. First, a man was shot at around 8:50 p.m. on Shadyside Avenue near Lacy Avenue in Hillcrest Heights. Prince George’s County police said the man took himself to the hospital after being shot. He died shortly after his arrival. The second shooting left a woman dead in Hyattsville. Police said it happened around 11:30 p.m. on Hamilton Street near Edmonston Road. When they arrived at the scene, police say they found the woman in a parking lot, dealing with multiple gunshot wounds. No arrests have been made, and police are investigating both shootings as homicides. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Prince George’s County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477. Luke Garrett is a D.C. native dedicated to journalism. He is a reporter and the creator, host and producer of the original WTOP podcast, “DMV Download.” The podcast debuted in 2022. On the show, Garrett takes a weekly look at the biggest stories and ideas in the D.C. region. Police in Prince George’s County have released photos of two suspects wanted in connection with the shooting at a mall in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, on Friday. In a news release Saturday, Prince George’s County police released photos taken from surveillance footage at the The Shops at Iverson. According to police, the suspects can be seen fleeing the scene immediately following the shooting that left three victims injured. In the surveillance video, the two male suspects can be seen leaving the mall entrance. One of the suspects can be seen opening fire toward the mall. Police Chief Malik Aziz said shots rang out around 12:45 p.m. Friday, following what he described as “some sort of verbal exchange” that took place between the suspects and the three victims at the mall’s entrance, located near Branch Avenue and Iverson Street. Investigators said Friday they believe the two suspects were leaving when one of them turned around and fired several shots at the group. Of the three injured, two have been treated and released while a third remains hospitalized in critical, but stable condition, a Prince George’s County police news release said. Witnesses told police the suspects fled the scene in an unknown direction. Aziz said law enforcement are still working to determine whether they left on foot or by vehicle. Police said they are still working to determine if the shooting was a random act, or if any of the victims were an intended target. Police asks that anyone with information on this case or the identities of the suspects to call 301-749-5064. WTOP’s Alejandro Alvarez contributed to this report. Joshua Barlow is a writer, composer, and producer who has worked for CGTN, Atlantic Public Media, and National Public Radio. He lives in Northeast Washington, D.C., where he pays attention to developments in his neighborhood, economic issues, and social justice. TRACK RADARCharles Michael Walker Jr killed in Hillcrest Heightsby Brianne Carter A double shooting in Forestville Tuesday evening left a Suitland High School student dead making him the sixth student to be murdered in just under six months The 18-year-old is the second Suitland High student to be fatally shot in just over 24 hours Brian Coleman from Prince George's County Public Schools on Wednesday told ABC7 Wednesday that{}additional security will be on hand{}at school following the student deaths.{}In a statement school officials say grief counselors will be at school as long as they're needed Around 5:30 p.m., the student, who sources tell ABC7 is 18-year-old Aaron Kidd, and another man were shot in the 3700 block of Donnell Drive in Forestville was shot and killed in the 4000 block of 28th Avenue at about 4:20 p.m Prince George's County Police officials say the suspect was after a shopping bag the teen was carrying Walker's friends and family say he was taking the new Timberland boots to his girlfriend “He was going to give his girlfriend [the shoes]," student Nico Williams said 'Give me them shoes,' and he said no Angie Miller said she called 911 after seeing the body on the ground Miller said she saw the shopping bag and shoe box not far from Walker's body Detectives combed the neighborhood for clues in the immediate aftermath of the shooting "The investigators do have some leads that they are working but nothing that they want to share," said Prince George's County Police Lt The teen's murder has neighbors shaken "It's never too bad around here," Temple Hills resident Jackie Williams said "To see something like this is just tragic." She broke down to her knee," Tyrek said."It just messed up my whole life." Maryland State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said "I am really enraged that a young person in our community with a shopping bag can't walk down the street without being shot in the back." adding he doesn't want to hear of another friend's funeral people getting killed over a pair of shoes," Little said Walker is the fifth Prince George's County student to be murdered this school year On Dec. 5,{}Eliezer B. Reyes,14 was gunned down as he stood in the 2200 block of Sheridan Street in Lewisdale Officials were looking into the possibility that the shooting was gang related Two men were arrested in connection with Reyes' death Sixteen-year-old Marcus Jones was fatally shot as he left a birthday party in Fort Washington on Jan police say they expect to make arrests in four of the cases by the end of next week If you have any information that can help police call the department's homicide unit at (301) 772-4925 Three children under the age of 12 are dead after a fire tore through a Hillcrest Heights Prince George’s County first responders were called to a two-story town house at 2414 Iverson St. Crews arrived to what fire department spokeswoman Jennifer Donelan said was already a “well-advanced” blaze with flames bursting from windows on both floors Firefighters immediately began searching the building’s interior Two other children were rescued via the front door and transported to a hospital “It’s a tough situation for our firefighters they sign up to save lives,” Donelan told WTOP’s John Domen at the scene “When they arrive at a fire that was this advanced … it’s tough for everyone around Two adults and one child who survived the fire are displaced and receiving assistance from the local Red Cross; one of the adults is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries One firefighter and one resident were treated for minor burns Fire officials and the Prince George’s County Police Department are jointly investigating the fire’s cause and the death of the three children Firefighters will also work to determine whether the home had functional smoke alarms WTOP’s John Domen reported from Hillcrest Heights Alejandro Alvarez joined WTOP as a digital journalist and editor in June 2018 He is a reporter and photographer focusing on politics political activism and international affairs This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page TRACK RADARDC basketball star Andrew Washington aka 'Sponge,' killed in Prince George's Co WASHINGTON (7News) — It's a call no friend wants to receive but it's one Jamal Shivers got on Saturday after learning Andrew Washington nicknamed "SpongeBob" in the basketball world and beyond "I just got a sick feeling in my stomach," Shivers said Prince George's County police said a man was found shot to death in his car in Hillcrest Heights early Saturday morning and another man was found shot and injured less than a block away A friend of mine from high school," Shivers told 7News on the court of Barry Farms Recreation Center in Southeast D.C is where I seen him really explode as a player," said Shivers "So I thought this would be appropriate to be here." nets and sidelines where Washington started his career in his early twenties Washington played at the University of Delaware before going on to play in tournaments across the country and overseas founded by former NBA player Tracy McGrady Shivers said Washington was also well known for his commitment to inspiring the next generation "It didn’t matter if you were really a basketball player or not Sponge would try to give you some good advice if he thought the time was necessary when a lot of other adults are a little afraid to get their hand in there or get their voice in there with some of these kids in their ear," said Shivers very good as a basketball player and even better as a person." Shivers said it came from one of Washington's first influences as a young player Miles called him 'needle chin' because he got a little pointy chin," Shivers said "He kept saying it – 'That’s the SpongeBob' – and people outside You don’t get to pick your nickname." Shivers adds Washington was killed one day after his 40th birthday Tracy McGrady and the OBL team shared the following statement with 7News following Washington's death: Officials in other cities in Polk County can debate raising property taxes all they want but there will be no tax increase in Hillcrest Heights Residents of Hillcrest Heights pay the lowest property tax rate of the 17 cities in Polk County -- far less than most of the other cities the term "city" might be a stretch for the 100-acre community Only 266 residents live in this incorporated area The town -- about the size of a dozen football fields -- is within the unincorporated community of Babson Park There's not even a traffic signal on State Road 17 who has been mayor for more than two decades The property tax rate is low because "we don't need the tax revenue." The rate is 50 cents for each $1,000 worth of assessed taxable property the City Commission has certified the highest proposed property tax rate in Polk County at $9.94 That rate is expected to be lowered to $9.45 when the budget is adopted in September There are a few other differences between the municipal neighbors Hillcrest Heights has just added its second part-time maintenance worker That brings the payroll to three when Larry Blackwelder who works 10 hours a week as town clerk for an annual salary of $8,400 Hillcrest Heights has no police department with the Polk County Sheriff's Office handling law enforcement Fire protection is provided by the county through the Babson Park Volunteer Fire Department The water department was sold to the county years ago and garbage collection is contracted out Lake Wales has all three -- a police department fire department and water department -plus such things as a recreation department not to mention a population topping 11,000 in a municipality covering 14.7 square miles But little Hillcrest Heights is more than a glorified homeowners association the city receives state and federal revenue sharing fees and franchise taxes Blackwelder said the result is an annual budget of about $80,000 with only about $4,000 from property taxes Most of the budget is used for maintenance of roads and common areas And the town has a healthy $170,000 in reserves Zoning isn't an issue because almost all of the town's lots are developed and the Hillcrest Lodge is the only commercial development the Lodge predates the town and about everything else in the area It was originally constructed to house prospective land buyers in the area These days it includes 14 efficiency units and 18 motel rooms Bryan said the community began in the years of the Florida real estate boom "It was going to be a rich man's playground," he said one result of those origins is a private beach on Crooked Lake for the use of residents The "squabbles" usually involve "people's dogs or getting people to keep up their yards," said Blackwelder Hillcrest Heights officials are content to let other cities in Polk scramble to annex property This month the owner of property adjacent to the corporate limits asked the five members of the Town Council to annex his 20-acre parcel "We told him to try Winter Haven," quipped Commissioner Deming Cowles referring to that city's aggressive attempts at annexation whose mother and grandfather previously served on the council said residents of the community "have always taken our government very seriously." Cowles said Hillcrest Heights is the 16th-largest -- by population -- incorporated community in Polk County out of 17 Highland Park edges out Hillcrest Heights -- 500 acres to 100 acres But it's no contest when it come to property taxes It's Hillcrest Heights' 50 cents to Highland Park's property tax rate of $6.93 for each $1,000 worth of assessed taxable property None of which bothers Cowles: "We're not interested in growing in size." Bill Bair can be reached at billbair1@aol.com or 863-6767118 (7News) — Prince George’s County officials announced they will distribute at-home rapid COVID-19 tests at several locations this week The COVID-19 test kits are free but residents will be required to show proof of county residency to receive a test kit SEE ALSO | White House now offering free at-home COVID tests. Here's how to get them. will be distributed per person ages 2 years or older who are present at the time of pick-up The distribution schedule for this week is: M-NCPPC Community Centers on Wednesday 10 a.m PGCMLS Branch Librarieson Wednesday 11:30 a.m For more information about COVID-19 testing or to use the county’s testing site locator, go here.