In the early morning hours of September 20, 2022, a violent home invasion in Hyattsville, Maryland, claimed the life of 23-year-old Giovanni Hayles. The tragic events unfolded shortly after midnight when a burglary was reported at a residence in the 5600 block of 30th Avenue.
Responding Hyattsville Police Department officers arrived at the scene around 12:20 a.m. and observed a car attempting to leave the property.
Inside the vehicle, they discovered Giovanni Hayles suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Hayles was a resident of the home where the break-in occurred.
Upon entering the residence, officers found a second male individual deceased from a gunshot wound. A firearm was recovered near his body, and he was identified as the suspect in the home invasion. Police later identified the deceased suspect as 19-year-old Damani Sanders of Alexandria, Virginia.
Investigators from the Prince George's County Police Department, who are handling the homicide investigation, stated that they do not believe the incident was a random act and that the home was specifically targeted. Other family members were present inside the house at the time of the home invasion and have been cooperating with the ongoing investigation. As of the initial reports, no arrests had been made in connection with the double fatal shooting. Authorities have been actively working to determine the full circumstances that led to the deaths of both Giovanni Hayles and the suspected intruder.
