DC - Seth Rich, 27, DNC staffer, shot to death, Washington, 10 July 2016

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According to Roll Call, Seth Conrad Rich, a 27-year-old who worked for the Democratic National Committee, died of multiple gunshot wounds in the 2100 block of Flagler Place NW.

According to police reports, officers from the Fifth District patrolling the Bloomingdale neighborhood heard gunshots at around 4:20 a.m. Sunday and shortly thereafter encountered a “conscious and breathing” Rich.

The Metropolitan Police Department (via DC blog Popville) states:
“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred in the 2100 block of Flagler Place, Northwest on Sunday, July 10, 2016.

At approximately 4:19 am, members of the Fifth District were patrolling the area when they heard gunshots. Upon arrival on the scene, members located an adult male victim conscious and breathing, and suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

Location of killing:
map-6.png

The victim, 27 year old Seth Rich:
SR71116.jpg


The Washington Post shares
: Acting D.C. Police Capt. Anthony Haythe, head of the homicide unit, said detectives are examining several recent robberies in the area to determine whether any can be linked. There were two robberies in the city in the hour preceding the shooting, both more than one mile away. Three people were robbed at gunpoint and another person was carjacked within four days in June on Flagler Place, near where Rich was shot. Police report 20 armed holdups in Bloomingdale so far this year, compared with eight at this time in 2015.

According to NBC 4 DC: Mary Rich said police told her family her son may have been the victim of an attempted robbery. He was talking on the phone with his girlfriend when she heard noise on Rich's end of the line, Mary Rich said. Her son told his girlfriend not to worry about it.

"There had been a struggle. His hands were bruised, his knees are bruised, his face is bruised, and yet he had two shots to his back, and yet they never took anything," she said.

DC CBS affiliate WUSA shares "Rich’s roommate told WUSA9 that he was probably walking home from his girlfriend’s apartment when he was robbed and then shot."
 
I just came across this case on Twitter <modsnip>Has there been any more progress on the case? I can't find much on the web. <modsnip>

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I just came across this case on Twitter <modsnip>Has there been any more progress on the case? I can't find much on the web. <modsnip>

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]
Sadly, no. DC&#8217;s*Metropolitan*Police Department said on Friday that there are &#8220;no updates&#8221; in the case.*
 
Has anyone been able to confirm where he was walking home from at 4:30am?

Also quite interesting that it was law enforcement that found him based on hearing shots? Pretty well done.

I noted he was conscious at the scene but succumbed to his injuries one hour later but there is no comment on what information he might have supplied to law enforcement on the scene.

There are lots of gaps in the coverage I have read.

I also went for a google map drive down that street. Looks like a lovely area - hardly rampant with crime?


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Has anyone been able to confirm where he was walking home from at 4:30am?

Also quite interesting that it was law enforcement that found him based on hearing shots? Pretty well done.

I noted he was conscious at the scene but succumbed to his injuries one hour later but there is no comment on what information he might have supplied to law enforcement on the scene.

There are lots of gaps in the coverage I have read.

I also went for a google map drive down that street. Looks like a lovely area - hardly rampant with crime?


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It's an area that is undergoing the gentrification process. It's getting better but certainly still has issues.

The 4:30am killing is confirmed, however I've read more than one story about the incident. He was killed on a Sunday morning (think a really late Saturday night or really early Sunday morning). One of the most widely reported accounts states that he was walking home from his girlfriend's place and on the phone with her when the incident occurred. The part that I find curious is that he was on the phone with her when it happened.

As far as the fast arrival of DCPD, they heard shots fired in their vicinity and while driving through that general area spotted the victim

I've heard it consistently reported that he was conscious when they arrived and he was able to communicate with the officers. I've not heard anything about if he told them anything and if so, what did he tell them.

The thought is that it's a robbery gone wrong. However it's been noted that nothing was taken and no attempt was made to go through his pockets.
 
Wolfinator: This is not a rhetorical question: what would be worse than being beaten and shot to death on the street? Just found your comment curious. This is near where I live, so I am following it pretty closely. There do seem to be a lot of police patrols in the area lately, and I am glad they got to him quickly. I just wish they could have saved him. How traumatizing for his girlfriend. Sad all around.
 
Kelly: Before speech, Hillary Clinton meets with parents of slain Democratic staffer Seth Rich

&#8220;I figured it would be just a staged greeting,&#8221; said his father, Joel Rich. &#8220;But my wife and I were both really caught off guard. Secretary Clinton had talked with people who knew Seth &#8212; and it wasn&#8217;t just that he had worked at the DNC and was a nice guy.

...
&#8220;The case remains under investigation,&#8221; police spokeswoman Aquita Brown told The World-Herald on Tuesday. &#8220;There are no updates.&#8221;

The Riches plan to meet this morning with detectives and the Washington police chief. Joel said he &#8220;absolutely&#8221; believes that it was a random crime.

He said the police &#8220;have been extremely helpful and caring about the family.&#8221;
...

At a 2006 rally of 300 Omaha Public Schools students in support of the school district, Seth stood up and said: &#8220;A full education is one that teaches you how to deal in the real world. Thanks to OPS, I now have that full education.&#8221;

He continued his education at Creighton University, where he was active in student government and inter-fraternity council. He interned for then-U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson and in recent years enjoyed working in the nation&#8217;s capital.
 
It's an area that is undergoing the gentrification process. It's getting better but certainly still has issues.

The 4:30am killing is confirmed, however I've read more than one story about the incident. He was killed on a Sunday morning (think a really late Saturday night or really early Sunday morning). One of the most widely reported accounts states that he was walking home from his girlfriend's place and on the phone with her when the incident occurred. The part that I find curious is that he was on the phone with her when it happened.

As far as the fast arrival of DCPD, they heard shots fired in their vicinity and while driving through that general area spotted the victim

I've heard it consistently reported that he was conscious when they arrived and he was able to communicate with the officers. I've not heard anything about if he told them anything and if so, what did he tell them.

The thought is that it's a robbery gone wrong. However it's been noted that nothing was taken and no attempt was made to go through his pockets.

Do you think "robbery gone wrong" might mean once they heard the sirens they ran out of there without taking anything? That's what I got, and somehow shooting him while he was on the phone was another part of "gone wrong." If he didn't hand over his phone they (he/she) might have responded by shooting him. Then the sirens wailed and the shooter(s) ran.

There have been incidents in my city where people don't hand over their phones, get beat up and then have their phones taken anyway.
 
I would be surprised if any of the conspiracy theories are true. He was involved with voter outreach, so chances he knew of the leaked emails ahead of time seems low. There were two robberies within a reasonable distance the night he was killed. Also, and most convincing for me, is that there were signs of a struggle before he was shot. I think it's more probable that he was facing and attempted robbery and fought back, and then the attacker(s) shot him and ran without taking things in haste.
But, if something more secretly nefarious was behind his murder, I highly doubt it will see the light of day.
http://heavy.com/news/2016/07/seth-...iracy-washington-clinton-data-analyst-emails/
 
<modsnip>

Everything I have read has been slightly hazy on where he was coming from. Lots of "probably" walking home from his girlfriends apartment but was on the phone to her as well? 4:15am seem a bit odd to anyone else or am I just an old lady and forgotten what it's like to stay up all night!

I can't fathom what it would be like to be on the phone to your loved one when they get attacked.

I noted there is a reward - $25k - hopefully that gets some results? Does that tend to work in the US?


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Do you think "robbery gone wrong" might mean once they heard the sirens they ran out of there without taking anything? That's what I got, and somehow shooting him while he was on the phone was another part of "gone wrong." If he didn't hand over his phone they (he/she) might have responded by shooting him. Then the sirens wailed and the shooter(s) ran.

There have been incidents in my city where people don't hand over their phones, get beat up and then have their phones taken anyway.

My instinct tells me that the shooter is likely late teens and had not killed before. The time it occurred is shortly after the bars/clubs closed and an opportune time for someone looking to profit from robbing a drunk person. With that in mind, it sounds like Seth Rich wasn't wasted. I think Seth Rich may not have been cooperative with the robbery. The shooter pointed the gun at him, he turned to flee and the killer shot him in the back and kept firing. When he realized what he'd done he freaked out and ran away without taking anything from Seth Rich.

That's my take on it. I've lived in a similar part of DC, I've had a firearm pointed at me during an attempted mugging, I fled and when the police caught the guy later that night I learned that the guy had tried to fire the gun but the trigger jammed. I remember the Sergeant telling me I was both the stupidest and luckiest kid for running away before showing me the gun that had jammed.
 
My instinct tells me that the shooter is likely late teens and had not killed before. The time it occurred is shortly after the bars/clubs closed and an opportune time for someone looking to profit from robbing a drunk person. With that in mind, it sounds like Seth Rich wasn't wasted. I think Seth Rich may not have been cooperative with the robbery. The shooter pointed the gun at him, he turned to flee and the killer shot him in the back and kept firing. When he realized what he'd done he freaked out and ran away without taking anything from Seth Rich.

That's my take on it. I've lived in a similar part of DC, I've had a firearm pointed at me during an attempted mugging, I fled and when the police caught the guy later that night I learned that the guy had tried to fire the gun but the trigger jammed. I remember the Sergeant telling me I was both the stupidest and luckiest kid for running away before showing me the gun that had jammed.

Far out - that's terrifying! All good points.

You'd also maybe assume if it was politically motivated they would have grabbed at least the phone or wallet to make it look like a robbery.

Wonder if any CCTV footage has turned up?


(Edited typo)
 
Far out - that's terrifying! All good points.

You'd also maybe assume if it was politically motivated they would have grabbed at least the phone or wallet to make it look like a robbery.

Wonder if any CCTV footage has turned up?


(Edited typo)
That's an excellent point I had not considered but you're absolutely right, if it were a political hit of course they would take a wallet or mobile to make it appear like a robbery.

I've heard that the only CCTV camera near the crime scene is at the corner store: not the latest technology and focused on the front of the store and did not capture the crime scene. The sad reality is that the District has more government cameras in the neighborhoods where businesses and expensive homes are located. Politicians prioritize the requests for things like CCTV cameras that come from constituents and business who fund their campaigns, not requests from those who need it most. (Why do you think it's been decades since a politician in the most impoverished neighborhoods has made a serious proposal to eradicate poverty? Because those people aren't the people who fund their campaigns, whose needs matter to them...)

While the neighborhood is currently experiencing gentrification, it's not there yet. Sadly, senseless murders like this will be what it takes to get more services to that neighborhood.

Personally, it saddens me that the media gives a care about certain murders due to the demographics of the victim and turns a blind eye to countless others...
 
That's an excellent point I had not considered but you're absolutely right, if it were a political hit of course they would take a wallet or mobile to make it appear like a robbery.

I've heard that the only CCTV camera near the crime scene is at the corner store: not the latest technology and focused on the front of the store and did not capture the crime scene. The sad reality is that the District has more government cameras in the neighborhoods where businesses and expensive homes are located. Politicians prioritize the requests for things like CCTV cameras that come from constituents and business who fund their campaigns, not requests from those who need it most. (Why do you think it's been decades since a politician in the most impoverished neighborhoods has made a serious proposal to eradicate poverty? Because those people aren't the people who fund their campaigns, whose needs matter to them...)

While the neighborhood is currently experiencing gentrification, it's not there yet. Sadly, senseless murders like this will be what it takes to get more services to that neighborhood.

Personally, it saddens me that the media gives a care about certain murders due to the demographics of the victim and turns a blind eye to countless others...


Yeah - CCTV cameras can only go so far to keep an area safe. Govts need to provide the solid foundation and process for communities to survive.

People with a job, a roof over their heads and a purpose in life rarely risk prison. The social cost of not ensuring a positively regulated labour market is inter generational poverty. And desperate people do desperate things.

In australia it is virtually impossible to work illegally. There is a very very small cash economy. Australian minimum wage is $17.70 ph plus benefits for full time. (10% superannuation plus 4 weeks paid holiday and sick pay, plus carers and compassionate leave) if you are a casual worker you are paid an extra 25% per hour plus super to cover the missing benefits.
And that's the minimum. Most jobs have what is called an Award that sets other higher minimum wages for all levels of qualifications and roles. To get great staff most companies pay "Above Award" - and we have universal health care, no interest university loans that only have to start being paid back when you earn over $55k per year. This is achievable as our system has very little leakage. The rules are really strict and the penalties severe if you work outside of the system but the benefits to do it properly are enormous. Very very few businesses break the law and the standard of living is high because of it.

Hopefully the money coming into the area can create more jobs and lift people up rather than just move them on down the road.



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Yeah - CCTV cameras can only go so far to keep an area safe. Govts need to provide the solid foundation and process for communities to survive.

People with a job, a roof over their heads and a purpose in life rarely risk prison. The social cost of not ensuring a positively regulated labour market is inter generational poverty. And desperate people do desperate things.

In australia it is virtually impossible to work illegally. There is a very very small cash economy. Australian minimum wage is $17.70 ph plus benefits for full time. (10% superannuation plus 4 weeks paid holiday and sick pay, plus carers and compassionate leave) if you are a casual worker you are paid an extra 25% per hour plus super to cover the missing benefits.
And that's the minimum. Most jobs have what is called an Award that sets other higher minimum wages for all levels of qualifications and roles. To get great staff most companies pay "Above Award" - and we have universal health care, no interest university loans that only have to start being paid back when you earn over $55k per year. This is achievable as our system has very little leakage. The rules are really strict and the penalties severe if you work outside of the system but the benefits to do it properly are enormous. Very very few businesses break the law and the standard of living is high because of it.

Hopefully the money coming into the area can create more jobs and lift people up rather than just move them on down the road.



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I am impressed. Sounds pretty good.
 
Strange yes, but coincidences like this do occur. Even surrounding HRC. they still occur. I hope they find the killer of this young man.
 
Seth's family are pleading for help. How do we sleuth this one?

Comprehensive article linked:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ich-ask-help-three-weeks-slain-DC-street.html


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It's a tough one because under Lanier, DC police have been really good about not leaking too much info. I still believe that the killer is a teenager whose intention was robbery and when the situation escalated and he shot and killed Seth Rich, he realized what he did and fled. If I'm right, tracking him down will be really difficult.
 
The red flag for me - there is ZERO information concerning where he was coming from or for that matter, going to, other than he was "probably walking home from his girlfriends".

The lack of information on his whereabouts preceding the assault is somewhat unusual!


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