A shooting occurred on Wednesday in front of a senior citizens facility and near multiple schools in the nation’s capital. According to the police, two persons were murdered and three others were wounded in the incident.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting that took place on Wednesday took place in the Truxton Circle district of Washington, which is located near a number of high schools and in front of a house for older persons.
According to Executive Assistant Police Chief Ashan Benedict, the incident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. when a black SUV came up in front of the senior community and two guys stepped out and began fire. After firing at least seven bullets, the guys returned to their car and drove off in the other direction.
Five persons in all were hit by gunfire. Two people were pronounced dead at the site, while three others were transferred to local hospitals, where they were being treated for their injuries as of Wednesday afternoon.
Benedict said that authorities were still attempting to gather evidence at the site and find a specific motivation, but he noted that the location is known to cops as “an open-air drug market.” He added that the investigation is ongoing.
According to him, law enforcement officers often make arrests in that area due to the prevalence of drug transactions, and authorities suspect the shooting was connected to those drug sales.
Benedict said that this was an ongoing issue with the church.
The shootings, which took place around one block from from a school, are part of a disturbing pattern of gun violence that has been plaguing the nation’s capital. The number of homicides has increased for the last four years in a row; the number of homicides in 2021, which was 227. During the most of the fight for the Democratic nomination, Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is up for reelection for a third term this fall, had to defend herself against accusations that she was mishandling the issue with violent crime.
“Benedict emphasised the need of include the criminal justice system in this discussion. “There is always room for improvement.”