On a hot summer afternoon in Washington, D.C., a young Black man named Tariq Riley, 19, was enjoying the day with a group of friends. It was July 25, 2021, and the group had gathered in the 100 block of Q Street NW. Their afternoon was violently interrupted when a gunman, who had disguised himself and was lying in wait, opened fire on them. The assailant fired 12 shots in rapid succession, striking three of the young men.
First responders arrived at the scene around 3:35 p.m.
to find a chaotic and tragic situation. Tariq Riley and another young man, 22-year-old Jovan Hill, were on the ground, both having suffered single gunshot wounds to the back. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, but despite all life-saving efforts, both succumbed to their injuries. A third victim was also hit in the back but survived his wounds. The investigation into the deadly shooting revealed a premeditated and calculated attack.
The suspect, identified as Jalen Browne, then 20 years old, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, had used a backpack to catch the shell casings from his weapon, a detail that pointed to his forethought. Although no witnesses came forward to identify the shooter, a case was built against Browne using forensic evidence, video surveillance, and circumstantial evidence. Detectives believed the shooting was an act of retaliation for a robbery that Browne had been the victim of two months prior near the same location.
Jalen Browne was arrested on December 13, 2021, and charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed. In July 2023, a jury found him guilty on all counts, including two counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and six counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. On October 13, 2023, Jalen Browne was sentenced to 67 and a half years in prison for the murders of Tariq Riley and Jovan Hill.
