I live closer and I suspect I am more familiar with this neighborhood. Seven blocks in any direction will take you into a very different neighborhood. The mosque, the Quaker meeting house . . . these are in different neighborhoods. Yes, the surrounding neighborhoods are diverse and I would like to believe warm and inviting since I live in one of them. But Mass Ave. Heights, the specific area of this terrible crime, is not like the surrounding neighborhoods or anywhere else in DC for that matter. It is not particularly diverse. There are Black residents but not many and they are either uber wealthy (Vernon Jorden lived there back in the day) or diplomatic families from other countries. The neighborhood is very isolated. There is very little foot traffic. It is eerily quiet and empty. Even after the fire when you would expect a lot of looky-loos, I was there and there was no one standing around except for media and police. No one.
You are referring to Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Cathedral Heights, Dupont Circle. Totally different even though they are nearby.
Respectfully, the home at 3201 Woodland, is not located in Mass Heights, it is several blocks to the east in what the media has reported to be Woodley Park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Heights
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...k-Slayings-Were-Held-Overnight-304161751.html