So far in 2010, D.C.'s homicide rate declines

A 27-year-old Southeast Washington man was found fatally shot in the District on Monday, in a killing that occurred minutes into the new month.

The shooting nevertheless left the city’s homicide totals well below the corresponding period a year ago, indicating that last year’s sharp decline in the rate of killings here is continuing in 2010.

In Monday’s incident, police arrived in the 1300 block of Stevens Road about 12:25 a.m. to investigate the report of a shooting. They found a man in an alley behind that block who apparently had been shot at least twice.

The man was identified as Lamare Larkins, of the 3000 block of Stanton Road SE.

As of Monday evening, figures posted on the police department web site showed nine homicides this year in the District. At the same time last year, police said, there were 14.

-- Martin Weil