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DC Housing Authority Employee Fatally Shot in Southeast DC

A DC Housing Authority employee has died after he was shot during his lunch break in Southeast D.C., police say.

Marcus Williams, 36, of Southeast D.C. was in his car in the 1200 block of I Street SE, near the Potomac Gardens public housing complex, when he was shot, First District Cmdr. Morgan Kane said.

"Tragically, unexpectedly, this gentleman lost his life," Kane said.

Officers received alerts from the ShotSpotter system, which detects gunshots, at 12:42 p.m. Officers responded and found Williams shot in the chest.

He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to a preliminary investigation, Williams may have been robbed by the shooter, Kane said.

He frequently worked at the Potomac Gardens complex, according to residents. 

The shooter ran into the housing complex, police said. 

Residents there said shootings are common. 

"This hurts. I feel sad because I lose people all the time. It's stuff we see all the time out here," Richard Watkins said. 

Police tape closed off a portion of the block for hours after the shooting. A light-colored sedan was parked in the roadway. 

Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from the area. Anyone with information is asked to call police. A reward of as much as $25,000 is available. 

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