US

DC Police Arrest Man In Shocking Rush Hour Train Stabbing

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Font Size:

District of Columbia police arrested a man Monday morning they suspect was behind the stabbing murder that took place on the Fourth of July in a crowded subway car.

Jasper Spires, 18, was out of jail no less than 24 hours before he fatally stabbed Kevin Sutherland, 24, in what is believed to be a botched robbery attempt, The Washington Post reported.

Spires was considered so dangerous by city police that police chief Cathy Lanier sent a wanted flier with his picture on it to every patrol officer on the force and his description broadcast by dispatchers every two hours until he was captured.

Earlier in the week on Thursday, D.C. police arrested Spires after he robbed a man in Northwest Washington, WUSA9 reported. After originally being charged with a felony, police bumped the charges down to a misdemeanor and released him early Friday.

Spires allegedly stabbed Sutherland while the two were aboard a train during the crowded Independence Day rush of tourists headed into the city to celebrate the holiday.

Sutherland was a recent graduate of American University and a former Capitol Hill intern for Rep. Jim Himes. At the time of his death, Sutherland was working as a digital political strategist at New Blue Interactive, a Democratic fundraising firm.

The stabbing of Sutherland kicked off another violent holiday weekend in the district that saw two people shot to death in Southeast D.C. and three others injured.

According to police reports, Dwayne Dillard, 23, was murdered around 11:09 p.m. July 4, and three other victims were transported to a local hospital. Early in the morning of July 5, another man, John Jones, was shot and killed just over a mile away at around 5:29 a.m.

Police didn’t identify suspects in either of those murders.

So far in 2015, the district has seen 71 homicides, representing more than a 20 percent increase over the same time period last year.

In June, Lanier announced a new “All Hands On Deck” initiative set to launch at the end of August that will put every available police officer on the street for an entire weekend. In the past, Lanier said these initiatives have decreased crime by as much as 28 percent.

Follow Josh on Twitter

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.