In the early afternoon of a Tuesday in Washington, D.C., the life of 39-year-old Delonte Smith, a Black male, was cut short by gunfire. On October 8, 2024, at approximately 1:22 p.m., violence erupted in the Northeast quadrant of the city, at the intersection of Seventh and I Streets. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Fifth District were dispatched to the 900 block of 7th Street, Northeast, following reports of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Delonte
Smith suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel were on the scene and attempted life-saving measures, but their efforts were in vain. Smith was pronounced dead at the location of the shooting. Originally from Southwest, D.C., his death marked another homicide in the city, contributing to a string of recent violence.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch is leading the ongoing investigation into Smith's death. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, authorities issued a lookout for three Black males who were reportedly armed with a machine gun and seen fleeing the area in a black sedan. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Delonte Smith. The police are urging anyone with information to come forward and have offered a substantial reward for any tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this fatal shooting.
