Northwest D.C.’s Columbia Heights neighborhood was on edge a day after three men jumped out of a car and opened fire on a crowded sidewalk, killing one man and injuring eight other people.
Devin Peterson of Northeast D.C. died after he was shot at 14th Street and Spring Road NW before 5 p.m. Sunday. He was 28. Seven other men and a woman were hurt. The search for the shooters is ongoing.
Businesses that closed in the wake of the crime were back open Monday. The owner of the restaurant El Amigo, close to where the shooting occurred, said he hoped customers would feel safe enough to return. The restaurant had already seen a dramatic drop in business because of the coronavirus pandemic, he said.
"We've been operating by half during the pandemic. Half. Now with this, this is the worst because customers are going to be afraid to go in our place," he said. He asked not to show his face, for fear of additional crime.
Police described the crime as a targeting shooting. Neighbors who heard shot after shot said there had been recent disputes over drug territory.
People who have lived in the area for decades said they were frustrated by a lack of progress in reducing crime.
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“I’ve been living in the neighborhood here 33 years. You would think it’s getting better. It’s not getting no better,” one man said.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact police. A reward of as much as $25,000 is offered.
Police are seeking a vehicle of interest described as a Honda Civic with tinted windows and a paper temporary license plate.
D.C. police say 106 people have been killed so far this year, marking a 20% increase from the same time last year.
