In the late evening of Tuesday, May 10, 2022, tragedy struck in the Barry Farm neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. At approximately 9:30 p.m., officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Seventh District were dispatched to the 2600 block of Stanton Road, Southeast, following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered a man suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was identified as 38-year-old James Lee Curtis of Southeast, D.C.
He was urgently transported to a nearby hospital for medical attention, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the death of James Lee Curtis was quickly undertaken by the D.C. homicide detectives. Their efforts led them to a suspect in the fatal shooting. Less than a month after the incident, on Monday, May 30, 2022, an arrest was made in connection with the case. The suspect was identified as 19-year-old Ethan Cunningham of Baltimore, Maryland.
Following his arrest, Ethan Cunningham was formally charged with first-degree murder while armed – felony murder – in the shooting death of James Lee Curtis. The Metropolitan Police Department had previously sought the public's assistance in gathering information regarding the homicide and had offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. The investigation continued after the arrest as authorities worked to bring the case to a resolution.
