Police in Washington DC have responded to a shooting incident in the northwest of the city, confirming that one person is dead and at least eight have been injured, while noting that three suspects are on loose.
"It looks like there were confirmed nine victims … We are still waiting to confirm the exact number of individuals that suffered from gunshot wounds," a police spokesperson told Sputnik on Sunday.
According to the spokesperson, the victims are all adults. One of the injured has died.
"Our homicide unit is on scene," the police spokesperson told Sputnik, confirming that one person was dead as a result of the gun violence.
According to police, the three were last seen in a dark blue or black vehicle with tinted windows.
At a briefing that took place after the shooting, police said that they were checking surveillance cameras to see if they can get some clear video footage of what appears to be a "targeted shooting".
"It appears like it was a targeted shooting. At the end of the day we had nine folks that were taken to local hospitals, two of them are in serious condition, one of them was pronounced dead and the remainder have been described as [having] non-life threatening gun-shot wounds," Chief Peter Newsham told reporters on Sunday.
He also brought up the issue of gun violence, naming it a "real problem" in the city.
"We need to do something about gun violence. If you look at our crime stats right now we actually have a reduction in violent crime in our city but gun violence is a real problem," Newsham told reporters.
Earlier, Fox 5 DC reported that at least one had died and eight injured in a Sunday shooting in the northwest area of Washington DC, after saying that nine were hospitalized with three in critical condition.
Police responded to shots fired at the intersection of 14th Street NW and Spring Road Northwest, urging people in the area to be on the lookout for two men wearing black hoodies and one wearing a grey hoodie.
Shooting Investigation at the intersection of 14th Street NW and Spring Road NW.
— DC Police Department #StayHomeDC (@DCPoliceDept) July 19, 2020
L/O for 3 B/Ms, 2 wearing all black with black hoodies and 1 wearing a grey hoodie. Last seen in a dark blue or black vehicle with tinted windows going N/B 14th St NW.
DO NOT TAKE ACTION CALL 911
Photos that were made on scene by local reporters showed a heavy police presence in the area, where the shooting "appears to have happened in front of a row of businesses".
BREAKING: 9 people shot near 14th & Spring NW near Columbia Heights. @DCPoliceDept say 3 are in critical condition. Appears to have happened in front of a row of businesses. @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/GLoiKAYVmh
— Evan Lambert (@EvanLambertTV) July 19, 2020
No further details were immediately available.
