In the summer of 2015, a young man's life was tragically cut short in Fort Washington, Maryland. Domanic Jamal Nelson, a 22-year-old male from District Heights, was fatally shot on Friday, July 31, 2015. The incident occurred in the 1000 block of Palmer Road just before one in the morning. When patrol officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Nelson outside with gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators soon determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence. The investigation revealed that Domanic was acquainted with the individuals who took his life. What began as a robbery escalated into a fatal exchange of gunfire. According to police, two acquaintances had set out to rob Nelson. During the course of the robbery, a shootout ensued between Nelson and one of the suspects.
Within a day of the fatal shooting, Prince George's County police made arrests in the case. Two young men, 19-year-old Rashawd Wiggins of Southeast Washington and 18-year-old Derron Alexander of Oxon Hill, were taken into custody. Both were charged with first-degree murder. During the exchange of gunfire, Wiggins was also shot and was subsequently treated at a local hospital. Alexander was taken into police custody. Described by his mother as a kind man with a huge heart and eclectic interests, Domanic's death was a profound loss to his family and friends.
