On the evening of August 23, 2022, a burst of gunfire shattered the late summer calm on the 2300 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE in Washington, D.C. When the chaos subsided, 24-year-old Chaquan Barbett, a male resident of Northeast, DC, was found lying in the street, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate response from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services and their life-saving efforts at a local hospital, Barbett succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Barbett's death quickly pointed to a brazen and brutal attack. According to prosecutors, the assailant had hidden in an alley for 22 seconds before ambushing Barbett, firing 12 shots at him. An off-duty police officer who lived nearby heard the gunshots and witnessed a man crawling in the street, attempting to defend himself as the shooter stood over him and continued to fire. The officer recounted seeing the gunman kick Barbett in the head, utter an expletive, and pat his pockets before fleeing the scene. Another witness, who was in a parked car, saw Barbett walking just ahead of another individual before hearing the gunshots and seeing Barbett collapse as the shooter fled.
Less than two days after the killing, in the early hours of August 25, 2022, the assailant allegedly returned to the same location and fired 14 more shots using the same firearm. The vehicle used in this second incident, a stolen black Dodge Charger, was later involved in a crash after a police pursuit. Investigators found a firearm and other evidence in the wrecked car that would prove crucial to the case.
On December 19, 2022, the Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrest of 18-year-old Jerome Israel of Southeast, DC. He was charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with Chaquan Barbett's death. The firearm recovered from the crashed stolen vehicle was linked to the casings found at the scene of Barbett's murder. Furthermore, an eyewitness identified Israel from a photo lineup as the person he saw with Barbett just before the shooting.
Jerome Israel's case proceeded through the court system, where he was also facing charges related to a carjacking. Prosecutors offered him a plea deal that would have resulted in a 25-year sentence, but Israel rejected the offer, and the case went to trial. During the trial, his defense attorneys challenged the credibility of the eyewitness, pointing out that the witness faced his own criminal charges and may have been motivated by a financial reward for his testimony. In March 2025, a jury found Israel guilty on six charges, including unlawful discharge of a firearm and unauthorized use of a vehicle. However, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the most serious charges, including first-degree premeditated murder.
