Mass Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, Some 20 Injured

An off-duty police officer is 'struggling for her life'
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 9, 2020 3:45 PM CDT
Mass Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, Some 20 Injured
In this image from video provided by NBC4 Washington, law enforcement work the scene of a shooting, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in Southeast Washington.   (NBC4 Washington via AP)

A dispute that erupted into gun fire during a large outdoor party in Washington, DC, early Sunday left one person dead and some 20 others injured, including an off-duty officer "struggling for her life," according to police, per the AP. Christopher Brown, 17, died in the shooting that occurred after midnight in a southeast side neighborhood where people had gathered for music and food, Peter Newsham, the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters. "There was some kind of a dispute," Newsham said. "Multiple weapons were produced." Police said at least three shooters may have been involved, though no arrests were immediately announced. Newsham said a motive for the shooting wasn’t clear.

Fellow officers took the injured off-duty officer to a local hospital. "She's struggling for her life right now," Newsham said. He added that "the rest of the gunshot wounds, as far as we know, are non-life-threatening." Nelson Bostic, a resident in the area, told WTOP he heard a burst of rapid gunfire, then saw "people laying on the ground" and "ducking under cars," and added that "it was terrible." There may have been hundreds of attendees at the party despite city restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic on such large gatherings. "We can't tolerate these types of gatherings in our city during COVID-19," Newsham said. "It's just too dangerous.” Mayor Muriel Bowser noted that public drinking and marijuana use outside were prohibited, as were gatherings of more than 50 people.

(More shooting stories.)

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