Make D.C. Safe & Beautiful Task Force Surge Operation Closes 2025 With More Than 8,000 Arrests, Nearly 800 Illicit Guns Off the Streets

Washington, DC - The Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force surge operation is approaching the year’s end with more than 8,000 arrests and close to 800 illicit firearms seized.

The task force surge operation kicked off in early August at the direction of the President, with U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Director Gadyaces S. Serralta leading a task force of more than 3,100 people from 28 agencies.

As of December 31, the Operation Make D.C. Safe & Beautiful task force has arrested more than 8,152 violent fugitives, including 20 for homicide, 1,343 for narcotics, 633 for weapons offenses, 29 for sex offenses, and 48 known gang members.

The task force has also recovered 16 missing children in the same period.

“President Trump established the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force to make this city the safest and most beautiful capital in the world, and we are on our way to achieving that goal in just over four months,” said Director Serralta. “I know the residents of D.C.’s neighborhoods can see the difference this operation is making every day. They take comfort in knowing there are dedicated men and women out here working on their behalf, day in and day out, so they can ring in a safer new year.”

“During this operation, nearly 800 crime guns have been seized from gang members, illegal aliens, and other violent criminals determined to terrorize communities throughout our nation’s capital,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Director Rob Cekada.  “Every American deserves to feel safe in their homes and while walking through their neighborhoods. Violent criminals have operated with a sense of impunity for far too long, but those days are over.  ATF remains relentless in working alongside our law enforcement and government partners to identify, investigate and prosecute those who threaten public safety.”

Enforcement activities are being conducted by 28 federal and local agencies covering all eight Wards in the District.

Significant arrests:

Ramanullah Lahanwal: An Afghan national who resided in Bellingham, Washington, was charged with first-degree murder while armed following an ambush-style shooting Nov. 26 a few blocks from the White House. One National Guardsman died as a result of her injuries. Another was critically wounded and remains hospitalized.

Jailen Lucas, Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Naquan Thomas: On September 2, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia issued arrest warrants for the three men, charging each with first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), stemming from the homicide of 21-year-old Congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym who was gunned down by stray bullets in D.C. on June 30.  After Lucas and both Thomases were ultimately implicated as the primary suspects in the case, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) requested assistance from the Make DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force to locate and arrest the subjects.

On September 5, two simultaneous arrest operations were conducted. Task Force investigators, alongside members from the USMS Special Operations Group (SOG), responded to an apartment on North Capitol Street in Northwest D.C., where Lucas was found and taken into custody without incident.  

Thomas Jr. was believed to be staying at a residence in the 2000 block of 24th Street in Northeast D.C. Members of the Task Force arrived at the address, knocked and announced their presence at the front door. Thomas refused to exit the residence until the presence of a USMS SOG K9 was announced, at which point he emerged.  He was then taken into custody without incident.  

Both individuals were transported to the MPD Homicide Branch for processing and held without bond.

On October 29, Task Force investigators developed an address for Lucas in Montgomery Village, Maryland, initiated a surveillance operation, and observed several individuals, thought to be associates of Lucas, enter and exit the residence throughout the day. During the early evening hours, the surveillance operation members on foot were able to positively identify Lucas through a rear window of the residence. Later that evening, Task Force members knocked and announced their presence as law enforcement. As announcements were being made at the front door, the perimeter team announced that Lucas was in custody via TK-9 deployment. Lucas had attempted to evade apprehension by escaping through the same window through which investigators had identified him earlier. He was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries and later transported to the MPD’s Homicide Branch for processing.

Alvin Young, 47, of Southwest D.C., was arrested December 3 and charged with first-degree murder while armed, following a fatal shooting in March 2022.

Hieu Vu was arrested December 3 on multiple charges including kidnapping, aggravated assault, assault with a dangerous weapon (two counts) and being a fugitive from justice. 

Christopher Watts was arrested December 5 on a warrant out of Florida for cruelty toward a child, promoting sexual performance and solicitation of a child via computer.

Terrance Fuller, Armani Noble, Shaneka Jones, Desean Carter Antonie Grimes, Mekail Butler and Ma’Kyh Holloway were arrested following execution of a search warrant December 8 for carrying a pistol without a license in the 100 block of Wahler Place SE. Officers recovered two firearms. Butler was arrested for murder on a warrant out of Maryland. 

Since the formation of the task force and launching the federal surge, in addition to the high number of arrests and firearms seizures, officers have seized substantial quantities of narcotics and related contraband. These enforcement actions reflect a sustained commitment to reducing violent crime and removing dangerous weapons from D.C.’s neighborhoods.

The Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force is making history as the largest collaboration of law enforcement and the National Guard brought together with the mission to proactively end crime in a major city in modern history. The task force is well on the way to making D.C. the safest and most beautiful city in America. 

Composed of federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the National Guard, the task force is focused on arresting violent criminals, clearing warrants, seizing firearms, and locating missing children. 

This operation reflects each agency’s commitment to the task force’s coordinated enforcement efforts and its mission to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable those who pose a threat to public safety.

Anyone with information about wanted fugitives is encouraged to submit it via the USMS Tips App.