A third suspect has been charged in the murder of 10-year-old Arianna Davis, who died after a bullet hit her family's car on their way home from a Mother's Day celebration, D.C. police said Wednesday.
Charles Edward Owens, 24, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder while armed. Owens was already in custody at the D.C. jail, police said.
'Ari, don't die': 10-year-old shot in car after family left celebration
On the evening of May 14, 2023, Arianna's family was driving in the 3700 block of Hayes Street NE, west of DC-295, when they saw multiple people get out of a car directly behind them.
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The people from that car began shooting, police said.
Witnesses said they heard more than 50 shots. Arianna's family believes their car was struck by other people returning fire, police said.
A witness in the victims' car told investigators they weren't aware Arianna was hurt until a younger child in the car said, "Ari, don't die."
The family then rushed to a firehouse, and Arianna was taken to a hospital.
She died three days later.
At her funeral, her grandfather, Everette Douglas, said he misses her every day.
“I just wish more, this violence would stop,” he said. “Because it could have been anybody else’s child.”
Owens is the third man to be charged in Arianna's murder.
"Since the shooting, the community has provided numerous tips and video evidence," police said in a release Wednesday. "Through community cooperation and the tireless work of MPD’s Homicide Branch, detectives were able to identify the suspects."
Karon Gregory, 19, of Southeast D.C., was arrested last September. Then, 19-year-old Dallas McKinney, also of Southeast D.C., was arrested in January. Both are also charged with first-degree murder while armed.
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