The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a man on Sunday who allegedly stalked multiple people in Foggy Bottom and Georgetown, according to a MPD press release.
MPD arrested and charged Delonta Deon Spriggs, 39, of stalking after Foggy Bottom and Georgetown residents reported being followed on multiple occasions in July. Advisory Neighborhood Commission Chair Trupti Patel said she heard from Foggy Bottom residents that Spriggs was targeting men and women and would attempt to “intimidate” and “menace” people in the neighborhood by staring them down.
“It is very disturbing to know that there’s someone who is following you and mirroring your movements as you’re walking around an area that is your home,” Patel said.
Patel said she originally became aware of the incidents three weeks ago, and heard from two Foggy Bottom residents — including Lauren Hines, who spoke about her experience being followed by Spriggs at the ANC meeting last week — that an alleged stalker was “hopscotching” around the area.
She said while some Foggy Bottom residents have expressed relief following Spriggs’ arrest, many residents — including those who encountered Spriggs — still feel unsafe walking around.
“The fact that the individual has been apprehended is allowing for residents to have a collective sigh of relief,” Patel said. “But at the same time, there are some residual effects.”
Patel said her “number one” concern when she first heard about Spriggs was for GW students, which prompted her to reach out to Director of Community Relations Kevin Days and inform him about the stalkings. She said she told Days that she wasn’t aware of any GW students who encountered Spriggs, but inquired about the University sending out a public notice to students to alert them of the reported stalkings.
“I had reiterated that I felt this was something that the University, in their own capacity, should disseminate,” Patel said. “Obviously I, as a commissioner and the ANC Commission cannot dictate to the University what they can and cannot do.”