Crime
Suspect Fatally Shot, Three Officers Injured in Northeast D.C. Shooting
A suspect is dead, and three police officers are recovering after a shooting in Northeast Washington, D.C., early Monday morning. The incident occurred on Florida Avenue NE, near the NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station, according to D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith.
Police responded around 4:38 a.m. to a report of a man with a firearm in the lobby of an apartment building in the 300 block of Florida Avenue NE. Upon arrival, officers encountered the male suspect in the building lobby.
However, the suspect fled into an elevator, prompting additional officers to join the search.
A short time later, the suspect emerged from the elevator and encountered officers in the lobby. As officers attempted to take him into custody, the man produced a firearm and fired at the officers.
During the ensuing struggle, officers returned fire, striking the suspect.
The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene despite officers’ attempts to administer life-saving measures.
The three injured officers sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to nearby hospitals. Police Chief Pamela Smith confirmed that all three are in stable condition.
The D.C. Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division, in conjunction with the Criminal Investigations Division, is conducting an investigation into the incident.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will provide an independent review.
The three officers involved in the shooting have been placed on routine administrative leave, in accordance with department policy.
“This is yet another reminder of the daily dangers that we face every day in our city and across the U.S. I’m very grateful that our officers were able to get through this particular incident without any further injuries,” Chief Smith said during a press conference.
As the investigation continues, Florida Avenue NE between 2nd and 4th Streets NE, and 3rd Street NE between Florida Avenue and M Street NE remain closed to traffic.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
Authorities in Maine have released additional details regarding the tragic Sabattus shooting that left three people dead and two others injured on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
29-year-old James Davis III, a resident of Sabattus, has been identified as the gunman.
According to Maine State Police Colonel William Ross, Davis was experiencing a mental health crisis before the incident, which resulted in the deaths of his 47-year-old mother, Christine Smith, and 53-year-old Katherine Williams, a local school employee.
Davis lived with his mother on Dube Drive, located less than a mile from where the shooting occurred.
Authorities say he had a sporadic work history, did not have a driver’s license, and was primarily cared for by his mother.
On the morning of the shooting, Smith drove Davis to his father’s home on Birchwood Drive, where he spent most of the day with his father and grandmother.
Family members reported that Davis began acting erratically, speaking incoherently, and displaying signs of mental distress.
Relatives attempted to contact Smith throughout the day, as she was often able to calm him down.
Later, Davis’ father arranged for him to meet with his mother, hoping it would help stabilize his behavior.
Investigators revealed that Davis was in possession of a .357 revolver and an AK-47 rifle when he arrived at his father’s home. After the shooting, additional firearms were recovered from the residence.
Authorities confirmed that Davis carried both weapons into his father’s vehicle when he was driven to meet his mother. When he switched to her car, he took the firearms with him.
Despite Davis’ troubling behavior earlier in the day, there was no indication that family members attempted to remove his firearms or contact law enforcement before the tragedy unfolded.
At approximately 4:15 p.m., Smith was driving Davis home on King Road, approaching the intersection of Middle Road (Route 9), when Davis shot her with the .357 revolver.
Smith was killed instantly, and the vehicle veered off the road, coming to a stop on the front lawn of a nearby home near the Lisbon town line.
Davis then exited the vehicle with the AK-47 and began firing indiscriminately at passing cars.
Three drivers were struck by gunfire:
- Katherine Williams, 53, of Sabattus – Fatally wounded. Her vehicle crashed into a nearby home. She was transported to Central Maine Medical Center (CMCC) in Lewiston, where she was pronounced dead.
- Tyson Turner, 19, of Jay – Shot while driving. Transported to CMCC with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
- David Wilson, 35, of Hartford – Also struck by gunfire. Transported to CMCC with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
After firing multiple rounds into traffic, Davis turned the AK-47 on himself, dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police confirmed that the entire incident unfolded within a matter of minutes.
Williams, affectionately known as “Kay,” was a beloved employee of Regional School Unit 4.
She served as the food service manager at Carrie Ricker School and Libby Tozier School in Litchfield.
In a letter to families, Superintendent Katy Grondin expressed the school community’s grief:
“There is no question that her death will have an impact on all of us, as Kay was a beloved member of the RSU 4 community. Our thoughts are with her family as they begin to process this loss.”
Authorities do not believe Davis knew any of the passing drivers he shot at, indicating the attack was random.
While police are still investigating Davis’ history of drug use, an initial search did not uncover any drugs, and his family did not report any signs of substance abuse.
An autopsy will determine whether he had any substances in his system at the time of the shooting.
Col. Ross acknowledged the rarity of such incidents, though he referenced a similar mass shooting in Bowdoin, Maine, as another recent act of violence.
The Maine State Police, Sabattus Police Department, Lisbon Police Department, and Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the tragedy.
Further details will be released as they become available.