About

1997: Call discerned by David Bowers to work to end murder in D.C.

December 22, 2000: NMDC starts with David Bowers walking down H Street N.E. asking people if they thought murders could be ended in D.C.

February 2002: Co-sponsored Black History Month Go-Go concert at the Lincoln Theatre sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and the Shaw Heritage Trust.

July 31, 2002: Met with Mayor Anthony Williams and MPD Executive Assistant Chief Fitzgerald – asked Mayor for performance benchmarks related to the prevention of murder for each city agency.

October 2002: Began attending Police Service Area (PSA) 414 monthly meetings. It was at these meetings that NMDC sought to gather insights from a murder “hotspot.”.

December 25, 2002: Held “Gift to the City - A Murder Free DC” press event at a N.W. murder site.

Winter/Spring 2003: Participated in Mayor’s Crime Summits One and Two.

Spring 2003: Invited to participate in Homicide Prevention Task Force meetings hosted by Metropolitan Police Chief Charles Ramsey.

June 2003: Participated in Father’s Day Murder Free DC Vigil hosted by the ROOT Foundation.

November 2003: Began to host monthly public roundtables at Ben’s Chili Bowl with sector stakeholders as panelists - Sectors included crews/gangs, education, Go-Go music community, media, and organized labor.

December 2003: MURDER FREE DC Go-Go Task Force first meeting held (initially formed at NMDC November 2003 public meeting).

January 2004: Co-hosted first MURDER FREE DC Go-Go Task Force Family Go-Go Expo at MPD ROC North.

May 2004: NO MURDERS DC convenes first meeting of its Stakeholder Working Group (SWG). The SWG was tasked to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to end murder in D.C.

May 22, 2004: Mayor Williams proclaims “MURDER FREE DC FAMILY GO-GO EXPO DAY,” with a “MURDER FREE GO-GO” held at the D.C. Tunnel (outgrowth of the MURDER FREE DC GO-GO Task Force). The event is broadcast live on WPGC-FM, with Mayor Williams attending and presenting proclamation.

December 25, 2004: NO MURDERS DC, Tale of the Tape Foundation and other groups launch the “Tour for Life” in front of Curtis Mozie’s Tale of the Tape Safe House at 1512 7th Street N.W.

January 2006: NO MURDERS DC writes urging the DC Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to commit itself to formally develop and adopt by September 30, 2006 a citywide plan and strategy to end murder in the District of Columbia.

Spring 2006: D.C. Councilmember Kwame Brown introduces the “Comprehensive Homicide Elimination Strategy Task Force Act of 2006.”

December 2006: D.C. Council creates Comprehensive Homicide Elimination Strategy Task (CHEST) Force as part of the “Homeland Security, Risk Reduction, and Preparedness Amendment Act of 2006.”

November/December 2007: CHEST begins meeting. Office of Victim Services Director Melissa Hook is named Chair. Criminal Justice Coordinating Council provides staff support.

Fall 2008: CHEST issues its report.

March 2009: Report funded by the Metropolitan Police Department and issued by the Healthy Families/Thriving Communities Collaborative Council entitled “Responding to Gang, Crew and Youth Violence in the District of Columbia: A Blueprint for Action” is released. It refers to the 2008 CHEST report in Table 3.

August 2010: NO MURDERS DC sends letter to Mayoral candidate Vince Gray asking if elected Mayor that Mr. Gray embrace the vision and goal of ending murder in D.C. and “...commit to the development and sustained implementation of a comprehensive, public-private plan to end murder in the District of Columbia.”

July 30, 2011: Requested meeting with Mayor Vince Gray. Request referred to Deputy Mayor’s office.

February 16, 2012: Meeting held with Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Paul Quander. Subsequent meetings are held with DM Quander and Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

June 27, 2013: Stakeholders meet with D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and present letter signed by 138 persons and organizations asking for public embrace of MURDER FREE DC Goal and convening of task force to update Comprehensive Homicide Strategy Task Force report of 2008.

Summer 2013: NO MURDERS PROJECT initiated by David Bowers, Daniel Bradley, LaVerne Harley and Heather Raspberry.

August 2013: NMP outreach at 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington.

Fall 2013: Meeting with National League of Cities Staff regarding “Cities United: Reducing Violence and Violent Deaths Among Black Men and Boys” initiative.

Spring 2014: Meeting with clergy leaders to discuss engagement of faith community in the work to end murder.

March 29, 2014: Candidates forum held at Allen Chapel AME Church. Forum hosted by NMDC and several clergy. Democratic candidates for Mayor asked, if elected, they would be willing to commit to convene a Task Force to create an action plan to end murder in D.C. and to say publicly goal is to end murder in D.C.

April 28, 2014: NMP co-founder David Bowers is a guest on Mid-Morning MOJO hosted by Stephanie Renee on WURD 900AM (Philadelphia)

May 8, 2014: NMP co-founders Daniel Bradley and David Bowers are guests on “Yo Listen Up!” on WPGC 95.5FM anti-violence broadcast hosted by DJ Flexx, Peter Parker and Tony Redz.

May 18, 2014: NMP co-founder David Bowers is a guest on Sunday Morning Hope hosted by Rev. Tony Lee on WPGC 95.5FM

May 19, 2014: Clergy meeting held with representatives of Metropolitan Police and U.S. Attorney’s Office.

December 12, 2014: NO MURDERS DC and local clergy send letter to Mayor-Elect Bowser requesting that Homicide Elimination Task Force be created in first 100 days in office.

March and June 2015: NO MURDERS DC, local clergy and media stakeholders meet with D.C. Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kevin Donahue and Director of Office of Religious Affairs Rev. Donald Isaac to discuss Mayor Bowser keeping commitment made at March 2014 candidates forum

June 10, 2015: NO MURDERS DC, Tale of the Tape Foundation and Clergy Against All Killing host "Tour for Life" event at Allen Chapel AME. Event examines impact of homicides and solicits community feedback on causes and solutions to end murder in D.C.

August 3, 2015: David Bowers discusses NO MURDERS DC, work for a MURDER FREE DC and 2015 increase in homicides in DC with "Business Matters" Co-Host Nizam Ali on WPFW-FM

August 2015: NO MURDERS DC issues public call for Mayor Bowser to honor commitment to convene Homicide Elimination Task Force. Fox-5 News questions Mayor about unmet commitment.

September 26, 2015: NO MURDERS DC speaks at annual Unity in the Community Peace walk along DC/PG County border. Community fair held at Community of Hope AME Church. Event supported by MPD and PG Police.

November 2016: Mayor Bowser appoints a Safer, Stronger DC Advisory Committee to come up with recommendations on how to reduce violent crime in D.C.

January 1, 2016: NO MURDERS DC holds New Year's Day Prayer vigil praying for a MURDER FREE 2016 at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C. Daniel Bradley, Silas Grant, Ward 8 Councilmember LaRuby May, Rev. Anthony Minter and Curtis Mozie offered challenges to and prayers for various sectors of the community.

January 4, 2016: David Bowers discusses 2016 plans for work to end murder in DC on Business Matters on WPFW with Andy Shallal and Nizam Ali.

January 6, 2016: Courtland Milloy writes column in the Washington Post regarding New Year's Day vigil and NO MURDERS DC vision and work for a MURDER FREE DC. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/putting-an-end-to-killings-isnt-crazy-but-accepting-them-as-the-cost-of-living-in-dc-is/2016/01/05/0506a87a-b3c8-11e5-a842-0feb51d1d124_story.html

January 2016: Meeting held with D.C. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Roger Mitchell to discuss suggestions for the "Safer Stronger DC Advisory Committee"

February 2016: David Bowers/NO MURDERS DC presents recommendations to Safer, Stronger DC Advisory Committee

March 2016: David Bowers/NO MURDERS DC presentation to AP Government class at Thurgood Marshall Academy high school in Southeast D.C.

May 9, 2016: David Bowers and Daniel Bradley guests on Business Matters on WPFW 89.3 FM in DC. Show includes call in from listeners sharing ideas on how to end murder in DC.

December 3, 2020: Recommendation Memo sent to Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson to create an Office of Homicide Elimination, Violence Prevention, and Community Empowerment in the Office of the City Administrator to develop, coordinate, and execute a District-wide public health approach to violence prevention and homicide elimination. Memo submitted by selected members of the Comprehensive Homicide Elimination Strategy Task Force (including NO MURDERS DC rep David Bowers).

2020: Comprehensive Homicide Elimination Strategy Task Force provides questions to D.C. City Council Committee Chairs to ask City Agency Directors regarding any initiatives, programs or projects their agencies are implementing directed at preventing homicide in D.C.

December 16, 2020: Comprehensive Homicide Elimination Strategy Task Force holds public roundtable on Recommendation Memo submitted to Mayor and Council Chair. Witnesses include Dr. Roger Mitchell, Rev. Delonte Gholston, Andy Shallal, Rachel Usdan.

July 29, 2021: David Bowers sends note to members of D.C. City Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser’s senior staff recommending a Vision Zero initiative for homicides, creation of a comprehensive plan to end murder in D.C. and creation of an infrastructure to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of efforts to end murder in D.C.

June 1, 2021: David Bowers is a speaker at The Inaugural End Gun Violence Conference.

October 25, 2021: Peace For DC, Next Level Vision, and the DC Chapter of Moms Demand Action hosted an event over zoom: A Conversation about Citywide Strategic Planning for Gun Violence Reduction- A Roadmap for Saving Lives. NMDC’s David Bowers served as a panelist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zL9u4S96AA