In the early afternoon of January 6, 2020, 38-year-old Lamar Walters was standing outside a bodega on Franklin Street, N.E., in Washington, D.C. Suddenly, the street erupted in gunfire, with more than 70 shots fired from the side of the grocery store. As people scrambled for safety, Walters was struck by multiple bullets. He fell to the ground and valiantly tried to drag himself out of the street to avoid being hit by the suspects' fleeing vehicle.
Tragically, his father arrived at the scene to witness his son's final moments.
First responders found Lamar Walters unconscious and not breathing, suffering from several gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries, but despite all efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later revealed that he had been shot four times, with two bullets recovered from his body. Two other men also sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting and sought treatment at a local hospital.
The investigation into the death of Lamar Walters led authorities to identify several suspects. In April 2020, acting on a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from the FBI, arrested 18-year-old Jermaine Harris. A few days later, a second suspect, 21-year-old Maurice Johnson, was also apprehended. Both men were charged with first-degree murder while armed. A third potential suspect was reported to have died in December 2020.
During the trial of Jermaine Harris, the prosecution presented a narrative of ongoing disputes between gangs in the Saratoga and Edgewood neighborhoods as a possible motive for the shooting. They alleged that Harris and three friends, associated with the Landon Park neighborhood, drove a white Toyota Camry to the scene and opened fire on the bodega. Video footage showed a white Toyota Camry turning onto the street from an alley moments before the shooting. After the incident, the same car received a speeding ticket a few blocks away. Defense attorneys for Harris pointed to a lack of clear motive, as there was no evidence linking Walters to any gang affiliation, and questioned the thoroughness of the police investigation.
