Several stabbings across Washington, D.C., on Friday night left multiple people injured and reignited debate over the city’s public safety as federal authorities continue a high-profile crackdown.
Shortly after 7:30 p.m., two women were attacked on the 1900 block of Benning Road NE. First responders said both were conscious and breathing before being taken to area hospitals with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Around the same time, an adult man was stabbed in Southwest in the Unit block of N Street SW, and a third was injured on the 1600 block of Benning Road NE. All were reported to be conscious when transported for treatment.
Police have not identified any suspects and continue to canvass the scenes, urging witnesses to come forward.
Friday’s violence unfolded as President Donald Trump pressed his federal takeover of public safety in the District. In August, he ordered the National Guard and federal law enforcement into the city and temporarily placed the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, stating that the measures were necessary to confront what he called “rampant crime” and restore order.
Since then, Trump has repeatedly claimed that Washington now has “virtually no crime,” even asserting at times that there is “no crime” at all. His administration points to a week with no homicides and to drops in robberies, carjackings and other violent incidents as proof that the strategy is working.
But a closer look at the data shows that while some categories of crime have declined, the changes are small and broadly mirror trends already underway earlier in the year. Overall, crime levels have merely returned to — and in some cases remain above — those recorded in June 2025, following the usual midsummer uptick in July.
City leaders and community advocates caution that aggressive tactics and sweeping federal control risk eroding trust in law enforcement, particularly in neighborhoods that have long felt underserved or over-policed. Many stress that lasting safety depends as much on community partnership as on headline-grabbing crackdowns.
