After a violent and deadly day of multiple shootings in the District, police now say at least two of them appear to be related.
D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee also told reporters there was something different about some of the victims in Wednesday's shootings: "What stood out to investigators is the age of some of the victims who were over 50 years old," he said.
At least 12 people were shot Wednesday in at least four separate incidents; in total, three people were killed. Two of the shootings happened just blocks apart.
Thursday, Contee and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser attended the first graduation of the District's Peace Academy, where community members are trained to help settle neighborhood disputes before they become violent. But the celebration was overshadowed by the violence a day earlier.
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"There are gonna be tough days … despite our toughest and hardest work, there will be people who will be lost," Bowser said.
Contee said two of Wednesday's shootings appear to be related: the afternoon shooting on O Street NW that left two men dead and sent three others to a hospital, and the shooting of three men on Quincy Place NE that evening, just blocks from the earlier crime scene.
"We believe now this was certainly a targeted incident at individuals who were in the block," Contee said of the O Street shooting.
Police identified the two victims who were killed as 43-year-old Rashad Johnson and 53-year-old James Johnson, both of no fixed address.
Of the Quincy Place shooting, Contee said, "We certainly believe this was some retaliation for the shooting that occurred earlier."
Contee added his concern over the ages of the victims, including those who were killed on O Street.
"That's something we don’t normally see," he said. "We just released the ages of decedents in this case. The ages of decedents are 53 and 43 years of age, not our typical age groups that we see."
Contee said some of the other victims were in their 20 and 30s, but the victims of the triple shooting on Quincy were also older than typical: in their 50s, and one possibly in his 60s.
Three men were arrested in connection with the Quincy Place shooting.
Police are still searching for a black 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, with a possible Virginia temporary tag 956515X, seen leaving the deadly shooting on O Street.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Those wishing to remain anonymous may text tips to 50411.
