In the late hours of a Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C., a burst of violence cut short the life of 26-year-old Javon Smith. On November 14, 2018, at approximately 10:26 p.m., Smith was shot in the 800 block of Florida Avenue, Northwest, in the Shaw neighborhood. After being struck by gunfire, a wounded Smith fled the scene, running a block north before collapsing in the 2100 block of Eighth Street NW in the adjacent LeDroit Park neighborhood.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police
Department were alerted to the sound of gunshots by the ShotSpotter audio-sensing technology and quickly responded to the scene where they found Smith lying on the street. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, three vehicles in the vicinity were also found to have been damaged by gunfire.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch is leading the investigation into Javon Smith's death. A motive for the shooting has not been publicly released by authorities. In an effort to gather information and bring those responsible to justice, the police have appealed to the public for assistance. 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 homicide. As of the latest available reports, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting, and no suspects have been publicly identified.
