The so-called “Petworth Basher” may have a fifth victim.
A man reported to police Friday that he was struck on the head Thursday afternoon at Second and Ingraham Streets NW.
The man, who police said suffered noncritical injuries, appears to be the fifth victim in a series of eerie, possibly related crimes in the Petworth neighborhood of D.C. Police believe they may have caught the perpetrator of all five crimes Thursday evening.
Officers chased and arrested Michael Davis, 19, around 9 p.m. Thursday after he fled from the scene of an assault on the 800 block of Gallatin Street NW, where a young woman with a head wound was lying on the ground.
Police found a claw hammer in Davis’ backpack. A blunt object was used in all of the recent assaults.
Davis appeared in court Saturday. He is being held without bond; a preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 11.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Davis is the brother of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis.
The football star tweeted Friday: “Just got a disturbing call from back home in washington dc [sic]. A good day gone bad! Hopefully he wasn’t involved!”
Just got a disturbing call from back home in washington dc. A good day gone bad! Hopefully he wasn’t involved!
— Vernon Davis (@VernonDavis85) April 27, 2012
Another son in the family, Vontae Davis, plays cornerback for the Miami Dolphins.
Police are investigating whether Michael Davis may be responsible a string of assaults, one of which resulted in the death of a Colorado tourist.
Gary Dederichs, 66, a registered nurse from Denver, was found dead in an alley in the 800 block of Emerson Street NW. Police believe he was attacked around 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Around 3 a.m. Wednesday, a 53-year-old man was discovered unconscious on the 4800 block of Georgia Avenue NW.
And about 27 hours after the attack on Dederichs, around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday, a 37-year-old woman was assaulted and suffered serious head trauma on the 5600 block of Ninth Street NW.
None of the victims were robbed.
Local alarm grew as news of the Petworth assaults spread Thursday. Police warned residents not to walk alone.
