On a summer afternoon in Washington, D.C., a dispute turned fatal for 33-year-old Langston Sharps. On July 3, 2023, at approximately 12:15 pm, Sharps was shot and killed in the 2800 block of Hartford Street, SE. When police and emergency services arrived, they found Sharps with a gunshot wound to the chest and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of the male victim led to the arrest of 24-year-old Jahi Settles.
He was charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with the fatal shooting. According to court documents, the confrontation between the two men stemmed from a dispute over money. One witness reported hearing an argument between Settles and Sharps concerning money that Sharps allegedly owed. Another account suggests the disagreement was over a pair of shoes that Settles had purchased from Sharps but had not yet paid for.
Surveillance footage captured the moments leading up to the shooting, showing Settles approaching Sharps's vehicle. According to the lead detective, Settles claimed that Sharps initiated a physical fight by punching him. Settles' defense attorney argued that Sharps was the aggressor, describing him as 'aggressive and vulgar' and claiming he threatened Settles. The defense also put forward that Sharps was seen reaching into a bag for an object and swung at Settles before the shot was fired, suggesting the firearm may have discharged accidentally during a struggle or that Settles acted in self-defense.
A witness for the prosecution, however, stated they saw Settles pull out a gun and shoot Sharps. Settles pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, which were later upgraded to include first-degree murder while armed, felony murder while armed, and other firearm-related offenses. Despite the defense's arguments for his release based on new evidence and claims of inhumane conditions at the D.C. jail, the legal proceedings against Jahi Settles are ongoing.
