Do you know who murdered Kevin Bolden? In the late afternoon of a Wednesday in Washington, D.C., a police response to a drug complaint set in motion a chain of events that would end with a young man losing his life. On March 28, 2012, officers from the Sixth District were dispatched to the 800 block of 51st Street, SE, to investigate reports of drug activity. It was approximately 2:20 p.m.
when the officers arrived in the Marshall Heights neighborhood, an area characterized by a mix of townhouses and apartment buildings.
Upon their arrival, the officers approached a group of individuals. As they began to engage with the men, one of them, later identified as 19-year-old Kevin Bolden of Southeast, D.C., took off running. The officers gave chase, pursuing him for a short distance. The foot chase came to a dramatic and violent end when Bolden brandished a handgun.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, Bolden fired at an officer, prompting the officer to return fire. In the exchange of gunfire, Bolden was struck. D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel were called to the scene and transported him to a local hospital. Despite their efforts, Kevin Bolden succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
Investigators at the scene recovered a handgun belonging to Bolden. The officer involved in the shooting was not injured during the incident. As is standard procedure in such cases, the officer was placed on administrative leave while the Metropolitan Police Department conducted a thorough investigation into the police-involved shooting. The incident left the community with questions and a family grieving the loss of a young man.
