In the early morning hours of Monday, June 20, 2022, a sense of normalcy was shattered in the 2800 block of New York Avenue, Northeast. It was there, at approximately 2:22 a.m., that law enforcement responded to what initially appeared to be a traffic accident. Inside the wrecked vehicle, they discovered 29-year-old Darrius Watts of Laurel, Maryland, suffering from gunshot wounds.
A female passenger in the car sustained non-life-threatening injuries from the crash.
Emergency services transported Watts to a local hospital in an attempt to save his life, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead. The incident that began as a reported crash was quickly reclassified by the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch as a homicide investigation.
As of now, the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, including where the shooting took place. The investigation into the death of Darrius Watts is ongoing, and authorities have not yet made any arrests in connection with the case. The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for his death.
