In the late hours of a summer Saturday, tragedy struck in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., forever altering the lives of many. On June 13, 2020, Rashard Waldo, a 19-year-old male from District Heights, Maryland, was attending an outdoor party in the 3100 block of Waclark Place, SE. The festive gathering turned into a scene of chaos and violence at approximately 11:37 p.m. when gunfire erupted.
Amid the panic, seven people were struck by bullets.
First responders arrived to a harrowing scene, finding multiple victims with gunshot wounds. Rashard Waldo and another 19-year-old, Zymia Joyner of Northeast, D.C., sustained life-threatening injuries. They were both rushed to a local hospital, but despite all life-saving efforts, they were pronounced dead. Five other adults at the party were also shot but were fortunate to have non-life-threatening injuries.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch is actively investigating the double homicide. In the aftermath of the shooting, authorities have sought assistance from the public, hoping to piece together the events of that fatal night. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the deaths of Rashard Waldo and Zymia Joyner. However, there have been no arrests made in connection with the shooting, and the police have not released any descriptions of potential suspects. The case remains open as the community awaits justice for the young lives lost.
