In the late afternoon of Sunday, June 30, 2019, a burst of violence in the 1400 block of W Street, Northwest, claimed the life of 28-year-old Christopher Payne of Bowie, Maryland. At approximately 4:17 p.m., police responded to reports of a shooting in a south alley in the area. Upon arrival, they discovered an unconscious adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical services were dispatched to the scene, but their efforts were in vain as they found no signs of
life. Christopher Payne was pronounced dead at the location before his body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Another man was also found at the scene with a gunshot wound and was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation into the homicide led to a swift arrest. The second man who was injured at the scene, identified as 21-year-old Duan Garmany of Northwest, D.C., was taken into custody on the same day as the shooting. He was subsequently charged with First Degree Murder While Armed. Later, another suspect, 24-year-old Malik Coles, was also charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with Payne's death.
