D.C. Police Inspector Andy Solberg apologized at a news conference Thursday for remarks he made at a Monday community meeting following the slaying of British tourist Alan Senitt.
“I want to apologize for the comments that I made and hope that the community will forgive me,” Solberg said.
With growing concerns from residents, community leaders met with the public to discuss the crime. The commander urged Georgetown citizens Monday to be vigilant and aware of suspicious activity, commenting, “[the suspects] were black. This is not a racial thing to say that black people are unusual in Georgetown. This is a fact of life.”
Solberg was temporarily reassigned by police Chief Charles Ramsey from acting commander of District 2, which includes Georgetown, to the school security division. Senitt, a prominent political activist, was murdered early Sunday while walking a friend home from a movie in Georgetown. His female companion narrowly escaped sexual assault, but surrendered her purse to the robbers.
Solberg led a force that quickly apprehended two suspects in Southeast Washington. A woman and a 15-year-old boy turned themselves in to authorities. In Georgetown, the number of white people outnumber the number of black people 23 to 1.
On Thursday, Solberg issued this apology:
“However, some comments that I made at that meeting were insensitive and created other concerns within the community. A friend recently told me that she thought my remarks were ‘inartful.’ I want to apologize for the comments that I made and hope that the community will forgive me.”
