In the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., a 59-year-old man from El Salvador, José Carcamo, was tragically killed on the evening of Sunday, May 25, 2025. What should have been a peaceful evening in his own home turned into a scene of violence when a stray bullet pierced through his apartment window, striking and killing him. The fatal shot was not meant for him; it originated from a shooting that occurred in an alley behind his apartment building on the 1500 block of Ogden
Street, Northwest.
At approximately 6:11 p.m., officers from the Metropolitan Police Department responded to reports of a shooting and discovered Mr. Carcamo inside his apartment, unconscious and suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the immediate response and life-saving efforts by D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators found shell casings in the alley behind the apartment complex, confirming the origin of the gunfire that led to the unintended death of Mr. Carcamo. Authorities have emphasized that he was not the intended target of the shooting.
The community was left in shock and mourning by the senseless loss of a man described as a noble and hard-working individual. A construction worker in the District, he was in the process of building a house for his mother in his home country of El Salvador. In the wake of his death, neighbors came together to support his grieving family.
The Metropolitan Police Department is actively investigating the homicide and has offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. As of now, there have been no arrests made, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the shooting. The case remains under investigation as police continue to seek assistance from the public to bring those responsible to justice.
