In recent months, a renewed national focus on public safety in Washington, D.C., has brought long-standing concerns to the forefront—concerns that many residents and workers in the nation’s capital say they have experienced firsthand. Debate over the federal government’s growing involvement in D.C. law-enforcement matters has sparked mixed reactions, but the issue of day-to-day safety has received even more attention after a prominent network journalist revealed her own encounter with violent crime near her workplace.

Kyra Phillips, an anchor for ABC News, shared a startling personal story during a live broadcast, explaining that she had been “jumped” while walking only two blocks from the network’s Washington, D.C., bureau. According to Phillips, the incident took place sometime over the last two years, adding her experience to a string of troubling events reported near the same downtown office.

Her comments came during a discussion about crime statistics in D.C., where official data from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) shows that violent crime has fallen significantly since 2023. Despite these improvements on paper, Phillips emphasized that many people working in the city continue to feel unsafe, pointing to several recent incidents involving network employees and others in the neighborhood.

“We talk a lot about the numbers, and yes, that’s usually how you play devil’s advocate—by citing statistics that show crime is down,” Phillips said. “But I can tell you firsthand, right here in downtown D.C., just in the past six months, there were two people shot near where we work. One of them died just two blocks from the bureau.”

Phillips went on to explain that her own assault occurred along a well-traveled stretch that she and countless others walk daily. The event, she said, left a lasting impression on her sense of safety in the city. “It was within the last two years that I was actually jumped walking just two blocks down from here,” she told viewers. “And then this morning, a coworker said her car was stolen a block away from the bureau.”

These experiences, she argued, stand in sharp contrast to the narrative that crime has become a diminishing concern. “We can talk about the numbers going down,” she added, “but crime is happening every single day because we’re all experiencing it firsthand while working and living down here.”

MPD’s most recent data does show a decline in violent crime—reportedly down 26 percent compared to 2024. However, statistics also reveal that the city has already recorded 99 homicides in 2025, underscoring that serious crimes continue to pose a persistent challenge. Many D.C. residents have expressed frustration that improvements in some categories have not yet translated to a greater sense of safety on the streets.

Complicating the situation further is an ongoing internal investigation within the Metropolitan Police Department. In July, NBC4 Washington reported that Commander Michael Pulliam was accused of manipulating crime statistics—an allegation that raised additional questions about the accuracy of the city’s public-safety data. Pulliam has denied any wrongdoing, but he was suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. The case has fueled skepticism among community members who already feel that the official numbers do not reflect their everyday reality.

Amid these developments, public debate continues over the extent to which federal authorities should be involved in managing law-enforcement strategy in the nation’s capital. While some argue that enhanced federal engagement is necessary to address chronic crime problems, others worry that such moves may overstep local autonomy or fail to address deeper causes of violence and disorder.

Regardless of where people stand politically, there is a shared acknowledgment that crime—particularly violent crime—remains an issue that directly affects workers, residents, and visitors in Washington, D.C. Personal testimonies like the one Phillips offered have resonated widely, especially among those who say they have witnessed similar incidents or feel uneasy going about their daily routines.

As officials, journalists, and community leaders continue to debate the solutions, one point has become increasingly clear: statistical progress alone is not enough to change public perception. For many in the city, safety is not measured solely by reports or charts—it is measured by what they experience when walking to work, parking their cars, or simply navigating the streets of the nation’s capital.