Stabbing at National Zoo
By Paul Duggan
A young person suffered serious stab wounds in a fight at the National Zoo on Monday, officials said.
The victim was identified by police only as “a young male, possibly a juvenile.” A zoo spokewoman said the victim left the zoo on his own. He was later found by police on Connecticut Avenue near the zoo entrance.
Pete Piringer, a D.C. fire department spokesman, said the victim was found bleeding shortly after 4 p.m. outside an apartment building in the 2900 block of Connecticut Avenue NW. He described the wounds as possibly life-threatening.
Zoo spokeswoman Lindsay Renick Mayer said the zoo’s police force arrested a suspect, who was turned over to the D.C. police. The suspect was not immediately identified.
The fight in the zoo broke out about 3:30 p.m. in the vicinity of the small mammal house, authorities said. Zoo spokeswoman Jodi Legge said the zoo’s police force ejected an unspecified number of people, many of them juveniles, as a result of the fight.
Legge said the zoo, with a capacity of 25,000 visitors, was “extremely crowded” Monday.
Besides the many children attending the zoo’s annual day-after-Easter celebration, including games, food and live music, the zoo was crowded to capacity with tourists and youngsters on spring break, Legge said.
The annual Easter Monday celebration was marred in 2000 when a teenager, in a dispute with teens from another neighborhood, shot and wounded seven people at the zoo’s main entrance. A year later, the shooter was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
[This post has been updated.]
Staff writer Clarence Williams contributed to this report.
The Washington Post forgot to mention this bit of news!
The National Zoo and Friends of the National Zoo host an African American Family Celebration each year on Easter Monday. The Washington, DC event includes traditional Easter activities for families, such as an Easter egg hunt, Easter-themed games and a visit from the Easter bunny!
| 
