A Takoma Park, Maryland, man was killed by a stray bullet after he left dinner with his wife on busy 14th Street NW and two men opened fire.
Jeremy Black was the victim of the gunfire Tuesday night, D.C. police said. He was 53, a father of two and worked for the Peace Corps, News4 learned.
Black was shot when two men opened fire on each other in the 1400 block of R Street NW, a few blocks northwest of Logan Circle. Police responded at about 9:10 p.m.
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Black was taken to a hospital, where he died.
A relative declined to speak on camera Wednesday night but said Black was a devoted father.
The National Peace Corps Association thanked Black for his work and expressed sympathy for his family. “Through his work, he sought to ensure that Peace Corps stays true to its mission,” the group said in a statement.
A surveillance camera nearby captured images of a vehicle of interest, a white Chevrolet Equinox, seen leaving the area.
Footage shows four people get out of the SUV wearing gloves and hoods on a scorchingly hot night. They leave, run back and speed away.
Fourteenth Street NW is a major nightlife corridor and home to some of the most celebrated restaurants in D.C.
The gunfire was sudden, rapid and loud, residents said. One man was inside his home and sitting on his bed using his laptop when a bullet whizzed past his head.
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“My window shattered and I kind of got covered in glass, and a bit of bullet shrapnel landed next to me,” he said.
He crawled to safety, looked outside and saw paramedics performing CPR on Black.
Residents found damage to windows and parked cars.
Resident Debra Drake heard the gunfire and said she was worried about escalating violence in the District. She said she will remain in the area, though.
“I refuse to be driven out of a city that I love and support by what I see as a temporary blip of insanity, and hopefully it will be rectified soon,” she said.
Investigators are going through footage from multiple surveillance cameras, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said. He said detectives are doing everything they can to find the shooters.
A police report says officers found evidence that a handgun and rifle were used.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact police. A reward of up to $25,000 is available.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
