On the evening of February 19, 2013, a routine stop for gasoline turned into a fatal encounter for Eric Eugene Walker, a 27-year-old male. At approximately 10:40 p.m., while pumping gas at a station located at the intersection of Branch Avenue and Colebrook Drive in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, Walker was approached by an armed man. The assailant, later identified as 34-year-old Duane Lamar Williams of Southeast Washington, brandished a gun, prompting Walker to flee across Branch Avenue.
Williams pursued him and shot him multiple times.
An off-duty Metropolitan Police Department officer, who was in a nearby car, witnessed the tragic event. The officer exited his vehicle, identified himself, and attempted to intervene and arrest Williams. Williams then turned his weapon on the officer and tried to fire, but the gun malfunctioned. The officer was not injured in the confrontation.
Prince George's County Police officers responded to the scene and found Walker suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers located Williams nearby, exhibiting erratic behavior that led them to believe he was under the influence of PCP. They deployed their Tasers multiple times in an attempt to subdue him, but the efforts were initially ineffective, a common occurrence in individuals under the influence of the substance. Ultimately, the officers were able to take Williams into custody and recover the weapon used in the shooting.
Following his arrest, Duane Lamar Williams was charged with first and second-degree murder, as well as other related charges, for the death of Eric Eugene Walker.
