In the afternoon hours of May 15, 2023, a verbal dispute outside a 7-Eleven in Washington, D.C. escalated into a fatal act of violence that claimed the life of 64-year-old Christopher Callahan. A Black male resident of Southeast D.C., Callahan was reportedly sitting on his walker when the altercation occurred. The situation took a deadly turn at approximately 4:15 p.m. in the 3900 block of Martin Luther King Jr.
Avenue, Southwest.
Surveillance footage from the scene captured the moments leading up to the shooting. Following the verbal exchange, an individual struck Callahan over the head with a duffle bag. The assailant then pointed the duffle bag, which concealed a rifle, at Callahan's head and fired, striking him. After initially walking away, the shooter returned to where Callahan lay on the ground and once again pointed the bag at his head before ultimately fleeing the scene. When officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Seventh District arrived, they found Christopher Callahan suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the response from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Callahan's death moved swiftly, and on the following day, May 16, 2023, an arrest was made. Authorities took 31-year-old Terry Thompson, who had no fixed address, into custody. Thompson was subsequently charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict. Following his arrest, Thompson underwent a mental health observation. Prosecutors later offered him two plea deals, both of which would have required him to plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for the dismissal of other charges. Thompson rejected both offers and, as of April 2024, was awaiting trial.
