A Washington, D.C., man has been charged with murder two months after he allegedly shot and killed a man who was with two children, police said.
Jarrell David Harris, 27, of Southeast, is charged with first-degree murder while armed. He was arrested Friday by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Metropolitan Police Department said Saturday.
The victim, 42-year-old Sedrick Miller of Northeast, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the 2300 block of 18th Street NE at about 8:30 a.m. on March 4. First responders found no signs of life, police said.
One witness told police that they and the victim "were in the process of taking the children to school" and going back and forth loading up the car when the suspect approached with a gun in his hand, according to court documents.
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Initially, police told reporters Miller was carrying an infant in a car seat and grasping the hand of a 5-year-old boy when he was shot at close range. However, surveillance video cited in court documents reveals that as the suspect approached, the 5-year-old and the witness retreated and the victim put the car seat down.
“It appears he was targeted by this shooter. This individual walked up, shot him with the children right there,” Executive Assistant Chief of Police Ashan Benedict said.
The children were uninjured.
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“It’s one of the most horrible things we’ve had in the Fifth District in several years,” Fifth District Cmdr. William FitzGerald said.
The children were put in the care of their mother, FitzGerald said.
Police announced Harris as a suspect and said he was the subject of a murder warrant on March 16.
Police didn't immediately say how they tracked Harris down, or where he was arrested.
Neighbors were horrified and outraged to learn of the killing.
“Stop this violence!” resident James Robinson cried. “There’s no need for this. No need for this. I feel so bad for the kids.”
“I know the kids will be scarred forever because of that,” neighbor Jasmine Johnson said.
Information was not immediately released on whether Miller was the children's father.
UPDATE (May 7, 2022 at 8:15 p.m.): This article has been updated to reflect that just before he was shot, Sedrick Miller had put the car seat holding the infant down and the 5-year-old boy walking with him had retreated, according to surveillance video cited in court documents.
