In Washington, D.C. and several other U.S. cities, rising crime rates are painting a grim picture of urban life under Democratic leadership. A recent quintuple shooting in D.C. serves as the latest example of this troubling trend. When police responded to reports of gunfire at Saratoga Avenue NE and 14th Street, they discovered three men with gunshot wounds. Tragically, two of them succumbed to their injuries on the scene, while a third was conscious and breathing. Additionally, two individuals made their way to a nearby hospital, one in stable condition and the other in critical condition. Locals reported that around a hundred rounds were discharged from an automatic weapon, prompting a search for three men in a gray SUV. A local journalist revealed that this barrage of gunfire occurred in three separate incidents over ten minutes, likening the sound to a "war zone." The incident is identified by police as a "crew-on-crew" shooting, stemming from longstanding disputes. Acting Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith expressed concern, stating, "We are witnessing senseless disputes escalate to gun violence instead of finding resolutions." She further explained, "Our officers were in the vicinity, as they always are. Unfortunately, the officer happened to be on another block when this incident unfolded." This week, Washington, D.C. reached a grim milestone of 200 homicides this year, with fatal shootings occurring in both Northwest and Southeast D.C. One altercation involved two groups and ended in tragedy, while the other claimed a man caught in the crossfire of warring vehicles. This marks the third consecutive year that D.C. has exceeded 200 homicides, a figure not reached last year until December 29. Frightened residents are now altering their routines due to heightened crime rates, with a 29 percent rise in homicides and a 67 percent surge in robberies. A lobbyist even shared that he stopped walking in his neighborhood after a violent incident near Dupont Circle, ultimately relocating to Maryland to escape the city's crime epidemic. Others have resorted to using different building entrances and avoiding gas stations at night. The consensus is that the city has taken a sharp turn for the worse, with innocent people now falling victim to violence even in once-secure neighborhoods. While Smith attributes the situation to an "overabundance of firearms on our streets," the reality is that many cities under liberal governance face a similar crisis, with some being statistically more dangerous than actual war zones. For instance, specific zip codes in Chicago, governed by a Democratic mayor, have a higher young adult male mortality rate from gun violence than the U.S. military faced in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that the homicide rate for young men in Chicago's 60624 zip code surpasses 1,200 per 100,000—a stark contrast to the average yearly death rates of 395 and 330 per 100,000 for American soldiers in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. Chicago, situated in Cook County, has a Soros-backed District Attorney, Kim Foxx, who dropped charges against 30 percent of felony defendants in 2020. Notably, 27 of the top 30 crime-ridden cities in the U.S. are under Democratic administration, with their inability to address this crisis turning many urban centers into virtual war zones and prompting long-time residents to flee. #mikeinthenight #mikemartins