Crime
Sunday Okedeyi Joseph Crashes Vehicle into Children’s Birthday Party Tent in Bladensburg
BLADENSBURG, Md. — Authorities have identified 66-year-old Sunday Okedeyi Joseph, a Washington, D.C. resident, as the driver who crashed a vehicle in reverse into a children’s birthday party in Bladensburg on Saturday night, killing one person and injuring 14 others before fleeing the scene on foot.
According to the Bladensburg Police Department, the tragic incident occurred shortly before 10:15 p.m. when Joseph, while driving in reverse, veered off the roadway and into a tent set up in the front yard of a home where the celebration was taking place.
The collision left several victims trapped beneath the vehicle.
Police said 31-year-old Ashley Hernandez Gutierrez was pronounced dead following the crash.
Fourteen additional victims, including eight children ranging in age from 1 to 17, were injured.
Most of the injured have since been released from the hospital, though one child and two adults remain under medical care as of Monday.
Bladensburg Acting Police Chief Daniel Frishkorn stated that the crash appeared to be accidental and not intentional or targeted.
A police officer on patrol nearby was among the first to arrive on scene after being flagged down by witnesses, and he assisted in lifting the vehicle off trapped victims.
Joseph reportedly fled on foot, abandoning his car at the scene, but turned himself in to authorities at approximately 8 a.m. Sunday morning.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether alcohol or excessive speed were contributing factors.
Chief Frishkorn described the situation as “highly unusual,” noting the rarity of a fatal crash involving a vehicle being driven in reverse.
Joseph now faces multiple charges, including:
- Criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle
- Negligent manslaughter by automobile
- Failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving death
At a press conference Monday, Bladensburg Mayor Takisha James expressed the community’s collective grief and extended condolences to the victims and their families.
“Please know that the town of Bladensburg is fully committed to ensuring that the individual responsible is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Mayor James said. “To the victims who are still recovering, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We wish you strength, comfort, and complete healing — not only from your physical injuries, but also from the emotional pain that accompanies such a traumatic experience.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
Crime
Angela Johnson and Her Son DeAngelo Johnson Killed After Shooting Inside Home in Chicago, Mother’s Boyfriend in Custody
CHICAGO — A 47-year-old mother and her 27-year-old son were fatally shot inside a residence in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side late Thursday night, September 24, 2026, according to Chicago police.
The victims were identified as Angela Johnson, 47, and DeAngelo Johnson, 27. Police said a suspect, identified as Angela Johnson’s boyfriend, was taken into custody following the shooting.
The deadly shooting happened in the 800 block of North Parkside Avenue at approximately 10:43 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots coming from the basement of the residence and called 911.
When Chicago police officers arrived, they found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Angela Johnson was found in the basement with a gunshot wound to her chest. Police-radio traffic indicated she had been shot on the right side of her chest.
DeAngelo Johnson was found on the first floor with multiple gunshot wounds. Radio traffic indicated that he had suffered two gunshot wounds to his back.
Both victims were initially unresponsive and in critical condition. Emergency personnel performed CPR on DeAngelo Johnson before both victims were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
According to police-radio traffic, one victim was pronounced dead at approximately 11:18 p.m., while the male victim was pronounced dead around 11:21 p.m.
Investigators found extensive evidence inside the residence, including approximately 23 shell casings in a basement bedroom. Additional shell casings were reportedly recovered in other areas of the basement, including the stairway, main room and bedroom.
Officers initially recovered a firearm and shell casings from the basement bedroom. Police later located a second firearm inside the home, bringing the total number of recovered firearms to two.
Authorities have not publicly stated who owned the firearms or confirmed which weapon, if either, was used in the fatal shooting.
Police also reported that DeAngelo Johnson was wearing an empty holster when officers found him on the first floor. That discovery prompted an officer-safety alert as officers searched the residence for the missing firearm.
Chicago police said the shooting appeared to be domestic-related and identified the alleged offender as the mother’s boyfriend.
Radio traffic indicated that a person had been detained by approximately 11:26 p.m. The official police report later confirmed that the known offender was taken into custody.
Two witnesses were reportedly available to identify the alleged offender, and officers conducted a show-up identification procedure near the scene.
Police have not released additional information about potential charges against the suspect.
The investigation into the Chicago Austin neighborhood double shooting remains ongoing. Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances that led to the shooting, the relationship between the people involved and the role of the two recovered firearms.
The deaths of Angela Johnson and DeAngelo Johnson are being investigated as a double homicide.