On the evening of June 6, 2023, the sounds of gunshots shattered the routine of a Shell gas station on South Capitol Street in Southeast Washington, D.C. When officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene around 6:37 p.m., they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the quick response of DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services, 29-year-old Joshua White was pronounced dead at the scene.
His death marked the 100th homicide in the city for that year.
Investigators began to piece together the events of that evening. It was revealed that Joshua White had been riding a Veo bike in the gas station parking lot when he was targeted in a drive-by shooting. The initial investigation pointed to a black Honda being a vehicle of interest. The car was seen leaving the gas station shortly after the shots were fired. The senseless act of violence left a community searching for answers and a family grappling with the sudden loss of a loved one.
The investigation into Joshua White's murder led to a significant breakthrough the following month. On July 24, 2023, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 22-year-old Korriek Akinola of Southeast, D.C. He was charged with First Degree Murder while Armed. Court documents later revealed a calculated and deliberate plan. Akinola and another individual had initially spotted White at the gas station while in a white Infiniti SUV. They then drove to a different location, swapped the Infiniti for a stolen black Honda Accord, and changed the license plate to a temporary tag in an attempt to hide their movements. They even left a cell phone behind in the first vehicle.
Returning to the gas station, Akinola accelerated toward Joshua White and, along with the other individual, opened fire, striking him multiple times before speeding away. After his arrest, Akinola's legal proceedings moved through the court system. On August 18, 2025, Korriek Akinola, then 24, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed. His sentencing was scheduled for October 24, 2025.
