A man was killed in a shooting after a fight spilled out of a deli in a busy section of Northwest D.C. Thursday afternoon, and police say the victim was not part of the dispute.
It began inside the Shaw Howard Deli and Market on 7th Street NW near Howard Theatre just after 1 p.m.
Police say they are investigating whether there was an exchange of gunfire.
Officers quickly responded to the report of shots fired, police said. A man who was walking by was struck.
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“Upon running up to the scene, they found an adult male suffering what they believe was a gunshot wound to the body,” Cmdr. James Boteler said. “They rendered immediate first aid.”
But the man was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later, police said.
Within minutes, officers had a good description of one of the men they were looking for and found him near Howard University Hospital, police said. Officers also found a gun investigators believe was used in the shooting.
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No one who worked at the deli was involved in the dispute, police said.
“We’ve been extremely concerned going on a year now about the intense drug activity that’s been taking place here on this intersection,” Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Alexander Padro said. “Historically, it’s had drug activity, but it’s escalated way out of control.”
Padro, who is with the business development group Shaw Main Streets, said crime is driving business out of the area.
“We’ve got businesses having folks OD in their bathrooms, locking themselves in the bathroom, assaulting staff at the businesses,” he said.
Padro said they have been asking for help that doesn’t come.
It was the 103 homicide of the year compared to 86 by the same date last year.
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Kathy Henderson considers the homicide numbers an ominous warning.
“It’s shameful, and we need to stop pretending that crime is not out of control in this city,” she said.
“Our citizens are afraid to walk down the streets,” she said. “They’re shooting at each other. This is absurd, but we have the resources already in place to stop it.”
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