The Guardian Angels, a volunteer crime prevention group, has returned to patrolling Metro stations following a string of recent shootings and rampant crime terrorizing the Washington, D.C. underground.

John Ayala started the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Guardian Angles in 1989. He said increased patrolling of Metro stations is warranted given the current levels of violent crime, according to a report.

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"We're planning on going out there; if we see something, we're going to report you because enough is enough. We have to make the Metro safe for our citizens of DC to live and work," Ayala said.

"Now, it's a call for action to get the Guardian Angels back out there, get more volunteers to go and be a deterrent, and work in partnership with Metro Transit as the eyes and ears because most people don't want to report what they see. They want to leave."

Shootings in the Metro system have become more than just a random occurrence in 2023, and volunteers in The Guardians Angels are prepared to do more than simply report crimes to the authorities, the report noted.

"If we see an altercation where somebody is getting jumped, we will go in physically, pull them apart, try and deescalate the situation before it gets to the point where one of those people fighting pulls out a blade or a gun," he said.

The Congress Heights stop is one of several Green Line stations the group is patrolling, and people have taken notice, according to Ayala.

"It definitely makes them feel a lot safer, and that's the goal. If they don't see police, but they see us, they still see safety," he said. "Everywhere we went, people stopped, shook our hands, said, 'Thank you for being here.'"

While their presence can make a difference, Ayala recognizes limitations to what he and the volunteers can do.

"If it comes to a situation where someone just pulls out a gun, we're not bulletproof. We don't wear a bulletproof vest, so we have to step back and take notes, and notify the police and give them as much information as we can give them. We're not going to jump out there like we're superheroes because we're not," he said. "We are unarmed. We don’t carry. In fact, we search each member before we start our patrols."

Currently, there are roughly 30 members of the DC chapter of the Guardian Angels, and the group hopes to reach 100 soon, according to the report.

Members must be 16 years old and are trained in de-escalation and self-defense.

This training does not allow for patrolling every night, the report noted.

"We can get some young people involved," Ayala said. "Those are the young people that are helping people instead of knocking other people upside the head and robbing them."

Metro officials said they "appreciate eyes and ears on the system and would encourage all customers to alert MTPD of any safety concerns."

Ayala hopes to one day partner with Metro Transit Police.

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"We're not saying [Metro Transit Police are] not doing a good job, but we want to go in and be extra eyes and ears because sometimes the police cannot be in every station. They can't ride on every car, so our goal is to ride on those train cars, especially between Greenbelt and Largo, that green line, because that green line is pretty rough, and just be that extra eyes and ears, to let the police know somebody is here to support you," Ayala said.

"You can't just depend on the police, the city council, or the mayor. We need the whole community. We need the whole village to get involved."