Over the weekend, former Trump administration official Mike Gill succumbed to the gunshot wounds he received during a carjacking in Washington, D.C. last Monday. Gill’s death and the initial carjacking were of no interest to CBS News and their flagship morning and evening newscasts (CBS Mornings and CBS Evening News), despite violent crime skyrocketing in the nation’s capital. And while ABC and NBC did cover those topics, they made sure to object to accusations crime was a major problem in America.
“A former Trump official has died after being shot during a carjacking in Washington, D.C. It's the latest in a string of carjackings in the Capitol City and beyond. Many caught on camera,” announced anchor Kate Snow on Sunday’s NBC Nightly News.
NBC correspondent Jesse Kirsch showed reverence to Gill, lamenting that, “Following a violent carjacking spree in and around the nation’s capital, tonight, Washington, D.C. is remembering a community leader.”
But while he showed other recent viral videos of carjacking incidents from around the country, Kirsch proclaimed: “Despite these headlines, the latest FBI data actually shows an overall drop in violent crime from January through September last year, compared to 2022. That category includes carjackings.”
But he would later admit that the nation’s capital defied that trend and even members of Congress were not immune:
KIRSCH: Washington, D.C., however, is not in line with the national trend of violent crimes decreasing. In October, a congressman was carjacked about a mile from the U.S. Capitol.
REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX): I looked to the left and someone had a gun. To the right, someone had a gun. I had a third guy behind me. [Transition] You got to stay calm.
KIRSCH: Last year, homicides, sex abuse, assaults with a dangerous weapon, and robberies were up in the city compared to 2022.
An on-screen graphic showed that violent crimes in the district were skyrocketing. “The FBI data shows auto thefts, however, did increase in larger American cities,” he admitted.
Over on ABC’s World News Tonight, that same evening, anchor Linsey Davis noted that “A horrific series of crimes in the nation's capital is fueling fears of random violence in some urban areas.” “Tonight, Washington, D.C. on edge. A second man has died after a violent 11-hour crime spree,” correspondent Em Nguyen reported.
Nguyen also tried to paint the violence in D.C. as just an “outlier” among inner-city crime stats:
While violent crimes were trending down nationally, according to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Washington is an outlier. The Justice Department announcing last month a surge of law enforcement tools and resources to target those most responsible for crime and carjackings.
“Police records show motor vehicle thefts spiked here 82 percent last year and homicides jumped by 35 percent,” she admitted.
Of course, neither ABC nor NBC cared to mention that D.C. was a wholly Democrat-controlled city and that their weak-on-crime polices were to blame.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
February 4, 2024
9:45:34 p.m. EasternLINSEY DAVIS: A horrific series of crimes in the nation's capital is fueling fears of random violence in some urban areas. Overnight, a second victim, a former federal official died after being shot by one suspect whom police say went on an 11-hour crime spree across Washington, D.C. and Maryland. ABC’s Em Nguyen reports.
[Cuts to video]
EM NGUYEN: Tonight, Washington, D.C. on edge. A second man has died after a violent 11-hour crime spree. Police say Michael Gill, a 56-year-old father of three and former government official, was shot Monday night in an attempted carjacking.
JEFFERY CARROLL (Metro Police, executive assistant chief): The driver of the vehicle exited and was found on the sidewalk when the officers arrived on the scene.
NGUYEN: Gill most recently worked as the chief of staff for the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Trump and Obama administrations. Gill's wife, Christina saying in a statement, “His sudden departure has left a void in our lives that can never be filled. He leveraged warmth and humor to solve complicated policy problems. He will be dearly missed.”
While violent crimes were trending down nationally, according to the major cities Chiefs Association, Washington is an outlier. The Justice Department's announcing last month a surge of law enforcement tools and resources to target those most responsible for crime and carjackings.
Police records show motor vehicle thefts spiked here 82 percent last year and homicides jumped by 35 percent. One of just two cities that saw an increase.
Authorities say the suspect, Artell Cunningham was killed in a police shootout Tuesday. He's also suspected of killing 35-year-old Alberto Vasquez junior.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: He didn't resist. He gave the guys the keys, his daughters will never get that chance to talk to him again. No graduations, no weddings, no nothing.
[Cuts back to live]
NGUYEN: And Lindsay police say there were a total of five carjacking incidents in this crime spree. Three in the district and two in Maryland. All connected to that one suspect. Lindsay.
DAVIS: Really scary there. Em, thank you.
NBC Nightly News
February 4, 2024
6:44:48 p.m. EasternKATE SNOW: A former Trump official has died after being shot during a carjacking in Washington, D.C. It's the latest in a string of carjackings in the Capitol City and beyond. Many caught on camera. Jesse Kirsch has details.
[Cuts to video]
JESSE KIRSCH: Following a violent carjacking spree in and around the nation’s capital, tonight, Washington, D.C. is remembering a community leader. The family of Mike Gill says he was shot Monday in his own vehicle and later died. His wife writing: “The father of three's sudden depart has left a void in our lives that can never be filled.”
Last week’s series of attacks just the latest in a rash in the carjackings nationwide. In Oakland, California, this car swerved locking the road as the suspect gets out, pulling a gun on this approaching driver, who eventually drives away.
And in near-by San Francisco, this car caught on camera flying through trees, flipping over, and crash-landing. That vehicle was also carjacked.
Despite these headlines the latest FBI data actually shows an overall drop in violent crime from January through September last year, compared to 2022. That category includes carjackings. The FBI data shows auto thefts, however, did increase in larger American cities.
Washington, D.C., however, is not in line with the national trend of violent crimes decreasing. In October, a congressman was carjacked about a mile from the U.S. Capitol.
REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX): I looked to the left and someone had a gun. To the right, someone had a gun. I had a third guy behind me. [Transition] You got to stay calm.
KIRSCH: Last year, homicides, sex abuse, assaults with a dangerous weapon, and robberies were up in the city compared to 2022. And now Washington is under the microscope again following the death of Gill, who had previously worked in the Trump administration. The former President writing, “Gill was a special person. His family and friends are devastated. The federal government must take of D.C.”
Ongoing challenges for a major U.S. city that, tonight, is again reeling from senseless violence. Jesse Kirsch, NBC news.
