Two Shot in NW Washington

From the Washington City Paper blog City Desk

Behind the yellow tape, police had already found sixteen shells.  They expected to find more.

On the sidewalk in front of 4022 Marlboro Place NW, a bicycle lay on its side beside a pool of blood.  Cops were combing the street.  The house windows were dark.  According to Lieutenant Trippi of the MPD, a single shooter had opened fire on two* men shortly after 11:30 p.m.  One man was shot in the leg; the other had sustained an unspecified number of gun wounds to the head.

Larry Huff, a friend and neighbor who lives four doors from the scene of the crime, heard the shots and witnessed the aftermath.  He gave me an extended statement.  [Below the jump.]

“I was sitting in my living room watching TV, and I heard multiple gunshots very close, very loud.  I had to hit the floor, that’s how loud it was.  Maybe twenty or twenty-five shots, so many shots that it almost sounded like two people were shooting as opposed to one. I went to my front door to look out.  All I could see was several young fellows running for their lives.  And when I realized that the shooting had stopped and the guys had started to settle down, I decided to come outside. That’s when we discovered that a couple of people were shot.  One was shot pretty bad—gunshot wounds to the head area.  Blood all over his face, wound in the back of his head—the blood was just popping outta that wound.  On the side of his face you could see blood trickling down. And one fellow was shot in his leg.”

“There was a car waiting for the shooter.  The shooter was on foot and ran to get to the car.  The car sped down Marlboro and hit a neighbor’s car.  They got a camera right there on that corner so the police say they think that camera should be working and should pick up the vehicle that struck that car.  They should be able to go back, establish the time, and see that vehicle.  Police seem to think there were six in the vehicle, armed.”

“They were neighborhood kids,” Huff added.  “I knew that my nephew was hanging out there with these same fellas, and I was concerned he was involved.  I came out to check on my family and on my neighborhood.  ‘06 is the last time I’ve heard gunshots on Marlboro.”

Police arrived within ten minutes of the shooting, an ambulance within fifteen.

“That could have been too long with that kid,” Huff said, “having a bullet or two floating around in your head.”

Lieutenant Trippi couldn’t give us more than the basics.  Please check back for updates.  In the meantime, the detectives have gone home, and a neighbor’s dog is bellowing at sirens in the distance.

*One witness maintained that a third victim fled the scene after a bullet grazed his arm.