Two teenagers are under arrest in connection to the shooting that injured a Dunbar High School student while she was inside a classroom on May 3. The suspects’ arraignment hearing shed some light on what authorities say led up to the gunfire.
The arraignment hearing for one of the teens arrested in a shooting that wounded a girl at Dunbar High School shed light on what authorities say led up to the gunfire.
Both suspects are also Dunbar students.
The student who was shot, described as a star varsity athlete, was talking to a teacher Friday morning inside a second-floor classroom. Seconds later, she was hit by a bullet that came through a window.
Witnesses say one group of teens had gathered near the school as a second group circled the block in an SUV, according to court documents. Minutes later, shots were fired on the street.
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After police reviewed security footage from around the school, they arrested 18-year-old Azhari Graves and a 17-year-old, both of Northeast D.C.
Graves was with the group hanging out in an alley between Morgan Street and New York Avenue NW, court documents said. Surveillance video allegedly shows that he had a weapon at the time.
The documents go on to state that a witness heard people in the group say something to the effect of, “Get ready, they’re coming around the other side,” and then start running with their guns before gunfire erupted.
Graves’ defense, however, argued that there had been people driving around the block in a stolen Chevy and shooting before the juveniles were seen running with their guns. They said he was in imminent danger and was armed for his own protection. Additionally, none of the security footage showed Graves firing that weapon, the defense said.
Both suspects are students at Dunbar High School. They face charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a pistol without a license and endangerment with a firearm.
The victim was rushed to a hospital with what was described as a deep graze wound to the forehead but is expected to recover.
