A man was shot and killed in Monday afternoon in a Northeast D.C. neighborhood that has seen a lot of violence in recent months.
The shooting took place before 2 p.m. in the 1800 block of Benning Road NE. A witness said he heard 14 shots.
Randall Francis, a valedictorian graduate of Eastern High School, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other victim was taken to a hospital.
The family of the victim said he was a model and the shooting may have stemmed from a dispute over a girl.
Police told his grandmother, Debra Smith, he got in an argument in a store.
"And the girl left and came back with two boys and they shot him," she said.
Francis' family said he worked as a photographer and model.
There have been several shootings in the area in recent months.
"We attribute it to these illegal firearms," Police Chief Pete Newsham said. "We have to start taking illegal firearms very seriously in our city. Got another young man over there who lost his life as a result of an illegal firearm."
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ANC Commissioner Kathy Henderson said outside drug dealers are bringing trouble into the neighborhood.
"People that come over here and they think that this continues to be the epicenter for drug activity, it is not," she said. "They are relics. That's a bygone day, and they can't come back over here to continue their drug activity. We've moved on from that."
In a statement released Monday night, Henderson called for emergency legislation that would allow police to clear the block when they see people congregating or selling illegal drugs or single cigarettes.
About two weeks ago, another man was killed in the area.
A military veteran was shot at 15th and D streets NE about 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5. Walter Leon Baylor, 32, was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Police arrested 25-year-old Rodney Wayne Kinard of Northeast D.C. and charged him with second-degree murder while armed.
Two other D.C. residents were killed in the area this fall. Marquiawn Williams, 25, was shot about 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24 in the 1800 block of Benning Road NE. Wilbert Brooks, 27, was shot just after midnight Sept. 30 in the 1500 block of Benning Road NE. No arrests have been made in either homicide.
A 9-year-old girl was injured in a shooting about 9:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in the 1600 block of E Street NE. No arrests have been made.
And on Sept. 21 about 11:10 p.m., four people were shot in the 1800 block of Benning Road NE. The victims survived. Police arrested 27-year-old Anthony Farmer of D.C. and a 26-year-old man.
