Two men have been arrested in the shooting deaths of three people who were killed over the Labor Day weekend in Northwest D.C.
Keenan Braxton, Donnetta Dyson and Johnny Joyner were killed when at least one shooter got out of a car on Sept. 4 in the 600 block of Longfellow Street NW and opened fire into a crowd, police said. Three men were also injured in the shooting.
D.C. police announced Thursday they arrested 27-year-old Erwin Dubose Jr. and 24-year-old Kamar Queen, both of Northeast D.C., on Wednesday. They are both charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed.
"On the night of these murders, I said there's no place for those that commit violence in our communities. I also said MPD would get accountability for those that commit violent actions. On that night, I said what I meant and I meant what I said," Police Chief Robert Contee said at a news conference.
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Contee said police are still investigating the deadly shooting and more arrests are probable.
He thanked residents of the community and said they were helpful in the investigation.
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"This was good police work and community collaboration through and through," he said.
Braxton was 24 and lived around the corner from the shooting, according to a police report. Dyson was 31 and from Northeast D.C. Joyner was 37 and also from Northeast D.C.
Dyson worked as a patient services assistant in MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s operating room, the hospital said in a tribute to her on Facebook.
“Donnetta had a kind heart, and worked tirelessly serving our patients and the community with grace and dedication. We send our heartfelt condolences and prayers to Donnetta’s family, friends and colleagues,” the post said.
Officers heard the shots and rushed to the area.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee said police believe at least one person got out of a dark-colored Honda Accord and opened fire into a crowd.
“It appears that there were individuals who were hanging out in the block. These individuals, for whatever reason, were targeted,” Contee said.
According to a police report, two guns were recovered from the scene. One of them was a ghost gun — an untraceable firearm assembled from parts typically bought online.
A D.C. police camera near the scene caught images of the suspects' vehicle, a dark Honda Accord with tinted windows and chrome-colored rims.
The police chief spoke on Saturday night about the "sickness" of gun violence.
“It’s very frustrating, and we’ve been talking about gun violence for a long time," he said. "We know that this issue is not unique to Washington, D.C., but I think it speaks to the overall sickness that we’re seeing in our community — that sickness being gun violence."
So far this year, 144 people have died in homicides in D.C., police data shows. The murder rate is up 14% compared to this time last year, when 124 people had been killed.
Police and members of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were on the scene Sunday morning. Streets were still blocked off.
Authorities are asking the public to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411 if they have any information.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
