One teenager has been killed and at least 20 others were injured after a shooting at a block party in Washington, D.C. on Saturday night, NBC News reports.
Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham says that the authorities are looking for multiple gunmen who opened fire during a party that took place at 33rd St. and Dubois Place in Southeast, D.C. Police believe that handguns were used during the shooting and that the shots were fired from different locations.
"We have at least three shooters because we have at least three separate locations where ... where gunshots were fired," Newsham said. "And it’s my understanding that the shots went off simultaneously."
Newsham identified 17-year-old Christopher Brown as the only fatality. Brown was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Newsham also revealed that a police officer was hospitalized during the incident and is in critical condition "fighting for her life." The other victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The motive behind the shooting is still unclear. Newsham claims that there appeared to be a dispute causing weapons to be "produced" and the shooting to ensue. The chief confirmed that there were officers at the scene during the gathering because there were reportedly hundreds of people in attendance. This violates D.C.'s coronavirus regulations which limit large gatherings to just 50 people with a city permit.
D.C Mayor Muriel Bowser described the gathering and shooting as "[people who] had no regard for human life."
"It’s very important that as a community we have zero tolerance for this activity, that we support the Metropolitan Police Department when they’re going to have to make very difficult decisions in breaking up these events," Bowser said before warning that some people in the community may be jailed for violating COVID-19 restrictions.
