A recent string of robberies in the Capitol Hill neighborhood have left residents wondering what is happening and what is being done to combat the crime.  

The uptick in crime, most dramatically indicated by five armed robberies that occurred within a span of roughly 30 minutes on Oct. 21, has shaken the neighborhood. The Washington Post reported that police arrested several suspects connected to the robberies, but the crime has prompted the local D.C. councilman to call for a public meeting to discuss what’s going on. On Tuesday, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen will host a public community meeting along with Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier and First District Commander Jeff Brown, whose jurisdiction includes Capitol Hill. They plan “to outline their plans and response, as well as answer questions from residents directly,” according to a notice on Allen’s website. The meeting will be held at Friendship Chamberlain Public Charter School in southeast D.C.  

In the past 30 days, total violent crime for the 1st District is up more than 40 percent compared to the same period in 2014, according to MPD crime map data . That includes a roughly 75 percent increase in robberies with a gun, with 28 such robberies over the past 30 days, compared to 16 for the same period in 2014.  

The armed robberies have shaken the Capitol Hill area, as the city as a whole is grappling with a violent year . According to MPD data, homicides are up nearly 49 percent compared to this time in 2014.