Yeferson Moreno-Gimenez, a 27-year-old man from Temple Hills, Maryland, was killed in the early hours of Thursday, October 29, 2026. His life was cut short in a sudden act of violence at a bus stop in Northeast Washington, D.C. While details about his personal life, family, and work are not publicly known, his death prompted a significant police response that ended in the apprehension of his alleged killer.
The tragic series of events began at approximately 5:00 a.m.
in the Deanwood neighborhood of the city. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sixth District were called to the 4100 block of Minnesota Avenue NE for a report of a shooting. At a bus stop, they discovered Yeferson Moreno-Gimenez suffering from a gunshot wound. He was unconscious and not breathing. D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived and quickly transported him to a local hospital. Despite all lifesaving efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The violence did not end with the shooting of Moreno-Gimenez. About 20 minutes later, at 5:19 a.m., police received another call, this time reporting a man actively firing a gun just two blocks away. Officers responded to a shopping center parking lot in the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue NE. There, they encountered a suspect brandishing a firearm. As the officers were getting out of their vehicle, they witnessed the gunman discharge his weapon in the direction of an innocent bystander who was leaving a nearby business.
This action prompted an immediate response from one of the officers, who fired a patrol rifle, striking the suspect. The man was seriously injured and received treatment at the scene from D.C. Fire and EMS before being transported to a hospital in critical condition. No officers or other bystanders were injured during this confrontation. The investigation shut down Minnesota Avenue for hours, significantly disrupting Metro bus routes and morning traffic in the area.
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch and Internal Affairs Bureau launched a joint investigation. Detectives quickly determined that the gunman from the parking lot was the same person responsible for the earlier fatal shooting of Yeferson Moreno-Gimenez at the bus stop. Police recovered the suspect's handgun at the second scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as 47-year-old William Louis Chase Jr., a resident of Northwest D.C. While still hospitalized for his injuries, Chase was arrested and charged with first-degree murder for the death of Moreno-Gimenez. He also faces charges of felony assault on a police officer and emergency personnel, as well as assault with a dangerous weapon for his actions in the parking lot.
In accordance with department policy, the officer who fired their service weapon was placed on administrative leave. The officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the Internal Affairs Bureau's Force Investigations Team, which handles all such incidents in the District of Columbia. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is also conducting an independent review of the facts and evidence. As per District law, body-worn camera footage related to the incident is subject to public release. As of October 2026, William Louis Chase Jr. remained hospitalized as his case entered the initial stages of litigation. Police have asked anyone with information about either shooting to contact them at 202-727-9099 or to text a tip to 50411.
