WASHINGTON, D.C. June 20, 2022 (UPI) — A 15-year-old boy was killed and three adults, including a police officer, were injured in a shooting that erupted Sunday evening at an unpermitted Washington, D.C., event with hundreds of people in attendance.
Chief Robert Contee of the Metropolitan Police Department told reporters during a Sunday night press briefing that the shooting took place in the 1400 block of U Street Northwest during an “unpermitted event” held by Moechella in celebration of Juneteenth.
The officer was shot in a lower extremity and was recovering at a local hospital, Contee said, adding the two other people suffering from gunshot wounds were listed as stable. None of the victims were identified.
The cause of the shooting was unclear, but it followed a secondary incident that caused people to scatter, authorities said.
Contee explained officers do not know what caused people to scatter but that several were trampled as they fled the scene, with police shutting the event down deeming it unsafe.
Shortly after, the shooting erupted, he said, adding no officer fired their weapon and there was no exchange of gunfire.
Several firearms were also confiscated during the event, including from one of the victims, he said.
“Illegal firearms in the hands of people who should not have them make events like this unsafe for people who just want to enjoy the beautiful weather, who want to enjoy Father’s Day and want to enjoy our city,” he said.
Contee added that they will be looking at their legal options concerning holding organizers responsible.
“Unfortunately, things like this can happen when you have the wrong mix of people or people who introduce firearms into a situation,” he said. “That’s unfortunate and we’ll be having conversations with those persons very, very shortly and looking at what legal actions should be taken as a result of an unpermitted event in our city.”
The Instagram page for Moechella advertised the concert as a “peaceful demonstration” that involved several musical acts and was to last from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Contee said several hundred people were in attendance.
The Washington, D.C., officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it was on the scene assisting with the investigation.
