A woman says she was in taxi near the fatal shooting in Northeast D.C. Thursday night. She told News4’s Jackie Bensen what she heard.
Seven people were wounded and two others were killed in two shootings just minutes apart Thursday night in the District. In both cases, the shooters fired multiple times in public, authorities said.
Police say there's no indication at this point that the crimes are related.
The first shooting happened about 10 p.m. Thursday, in the busy 1300 block of Columbia Road NW, near the DC USA retail development that houses Target. The second shooting took place in the 1300 block of Brentwood Road NE.
"I think both of these cases illustrates suspects who had no regard for human life," D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said Friday afternoon. "In each of these cases, the suspects came up, fired multiple times in public areas, without any consideration of where those bullets were going to land."
In the first incident, people were in the courtyard of an apartment complex in Columbia Heights when the driver of a car turned into an alley, and suspects inside the car opened fire, police said. One man was killed, and four men and a woman were wounded.
At least 18 shell casings were recovered from the scene. Bullet holes and shattered windows indicate a spray of bullets on both sides of the courtyard.
A woman who lives there said she fears for her life.
"When I hear the shooting, I have to jump to the floor because I'm on the first floor," said the woman, who didn't want her name used. She said she heard "a lot of shooting and screaming."
Police identified the victim who died as 21-year-old Vincent Carter of Southeast D.C. The five injured victims were taken to hospitals. Four were in stable condition and one was in critical condition, Newsham said Friday afternoon.
Police have intelligence that three of the victims are members of a local crew, Newsham said. Four of the victims have criminal records involving guns. They don't have a motive yet in the shooting. A firearm was recovered, but authorities don't believe it was the one used in the shooting.
Police are looking for two suspects who had two assault-style weapons.
"That is really concerning," said Columbia Heights resident James Lindsay. "It's to the point where many in our community are afraid. And so you look at maybe options of not staying here, or looking at just, what can we do?"
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Newsham said the vehicle of interest is a four-door gray or silver sedan. It was last seen turning onto Irving Street NW.
Police interviewed people in the neighborhood and looked for surveillance video. Parts of the neighborhood were closed to drivers and pedestrians for hours during the investigation.
Less than half an hour after the shooting in Columbia Heights, three people were shot in Northeast D.C., authorities said.
Police found a man and a woman inside a business in the 1300 block of Brentwood Road NE. Both had been shot. Another victim was found in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Ave NE.
The man found inside the establishment died of his injuries. Police identified him as 20-year-old Sean Coleman-Bey of Northeast D.C.
Police believe Coleman-Bey was the target and the other two victims were bystanders, Newsham said. The surviving victims were treated and released.
The suspect was wearing a mask and gloves, Newsham said. Police are looking for a pickup truck in connection with that shooting.
The deaths bring the number of homicides in D.C. this year to 127, a 19 percent increase over 2018.
Police are asking for the public's help in both cases. Anyone with information is asked to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.
Editor's Note: Police earlier said the shooting in Northeast happened on Rhode Island Avenue. Also, an earlier report said the shootings happened about an hour apart; they happened less than half an hour apart.
Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates to these developing stories.
