Eight people were injured on Friday night in two separate but connected shootings that occurred within minutes of each other in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. Among the victims is a 12-year-old girl who was shot and wounded during the second incident. No suspects or motives have been identified yet, and police are asking for public assistance to gather information on these events.
The first shooting took place around 10 p.m. at the 500 block of Lebaum Street SE where seven men suffered gunshot injuries though none with life-threatening wounds. "It's disheartening to see this level of violence," said Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) spokesperson Tanya Pierce when speaking about the first incident.
Minutes later, officers responded to another shooting just blocks away at the 2600 block of 2nd Street SE only to discover a young girl suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds on her lower extremities. MPD Chief Robert Contee expressed his disappointment with both incidents: "Our city has experienced far too many mass shootings already this year; it's time we put an end to such senseless acts."
According to data collected by The Gun Violence Archive, these back-to-back incidents mark the nation's 169th mass shooting so far this year – emphasizing an alarming trend across America as these numbers continue rising rapidly.
As authorities work tirelessly investigating both crime scenes and attempting to establish connections between them, they encourage anyone possessing relevant information regarding either incident or possible suspects involved contact local law enforcement immediately.
"We need our community members' help now more than ever," urged Chief Contee while addressing a plea for assistance from citizens who may hold crucial details leading towards apprehending those responsible for these heinous crimes.