A shooting Friday afternoon left at least four people injured in northwest Washington, DC, authorities say. The DC Police Department and other law enforcement agencies are currently searching for a person of interest and asking area residents to shelter in place.
During a news conference Friday night, Deputy Police Chief Stuart Emerman identified Raymond Spencer, 23, of Fairfax, Virginia, as a person of interest in connection with the shooting. He said authorities would like to speak with him, and DC police shared photos of him on his Twitter account.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing and police continue to encourage people to avoid the area and shelter in place.
At around 3:20 pm local time, police responded to reports of shots fired near Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness Street NW. A woman in her 30s, a woman in her 60s, a 54-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl were injured in the shooting. The woman in her 60s was treated at the scene. The other three were transported to local hospitals and are in stable condition, Emerman said.
“This is a very early point in our investigation,” Emerman said Friday. “And we’re still trying to figure out why or what specifically happened here.”
The shooting occurred near the University of the District of Columbia and an independent college preparatory school. Both were locked up for several hours. Emerman said Friday night that authorities are working to reunite the students with their parents. AN reunification site was established in the Cleveland Park Library. UDC’s Van Ness campus remains closed, the school tweeted Friday afternoon.
During the afternoon press conference, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her concern for the injured.
“We are praying for his health and well-being,” he said.
Videos and photos shared on Twitter showed officials entering a residential building in the area, as well as evacuating local residents.
uniformed united states Secret Service officers and the FBI Washington Field they are also responding to the scene.
Police have asked anyone with information about the incident to call the DC Police Department.
tori b powell
