WASHINGTON 鈥� Police have arrested two suspects who allegedly robbed a woman on a D.C. bike path in that has been the site of numerous crimes.
On Monday around 11:30 a.m., a woman was pushed and robbed along the near 3rd and R streets in Northeast, reports a witness who is a regular user of the trail. The suspects 鈥� described as two black males between the ages of 14 and 17 鈥� stole her phone and wallet, the witness says.
The witness helped the woman, who he says was shaken up but otherwise OK 鈥� but not before snapping some photos of the two men he believes were involved before they fled.
鈥淭hey gave me a little shove, and I thought for a second I did a really dumb thing,鈥� the witness said of taking the photos.
Police arrested the suspects, both juveniles, Tuesday.
The witness says he and the victim called 911, moved to an easier location for police to meet them and were joined by an officer within five minutes.
The bike path has been the focus of a number of headlines over the last few years after a string of .
The eight-mile trail runs from Union Station toward Silver Spring, and as development in the area has increased, so has bike and pedestrian traffic on the trail. The witness says he hopes other riders won鈥檛 be scared by the trail鈥檚 reputation.
鈥淚 know I鈥檓 out there and I鈥檝e made lots of friends in the bike D.C. community who are also out there riding, and we鈥檙e all looking out for you,鈥� the witness says.
The witness says he handed over the images as well as a video to police.
Garrett Hennigan with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association says incidents like Monday’s may frighten some people from riding on the trail.聽He notes that there are many 鈥渞egulars鈥� on the trail, who wave hello as they head back and forth to work and home each day.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e saying hi to somebody, if you鈥檙e willing to stop and help them patch a flat tire, I know that it means you鈥檙e going to help them out if they鈥檙e running into trouble,鈥� Hennigan says.
Hennigan has coordinated The rangers aren鈥檛 on area trails to act as police, but they do monitor trail activity, and provide another set of eyes and ears on regional trails.
鈥淚t really comes down to the safest trail, the best trail, is one with eyes on the trail.鈥�
蜜桃视频app’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
