On a late Monday afternoon, the bustling sounds of Washington, D.C. were tragically interrupted by gunfire. In the 1800 block of Benning Road, Northeast, a man lay unconscious, suffering from gunshot wounds. The incident, which occurred just before 4:00 p.m. on December 30, 2024, prompted a swift response from the Fifth District officers of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Upon their arrival, they found 31-year-old Damion Hill, a male with no fixed address, in dire need of medical attention.
Despite the prompt arrival of DC Fire and EMS, there were no signs of life, and Damion Hill was pronounced dead at the scene. The area was quickly secured as detectives began the arduous task of piecing together the events that led to this senseless act of violence. The investigation was ongoing for months as authorities worked to identify those responsible for Hill's death.
In the course of their investigation, the Metropolitan Police Department identified a suspect. On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, their efforts culminated in the arrest of 19-year-old Caleb Padilla of Northeast, D.C. Acting on a DC Superior Court arrest warrant, officers located and apprehended Padilla. He was subsequently charged with Second Degree Murder While Armed in connection with the fatal shooting of Damion Hill. The police had previously released information about a person of interest, described as a man wearing all black and carrying a gray satchel, and offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
