On a late Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C., a burst of gunfire shattered the peace of the Potomac Gardens housing complex. It was September 10, 2017, just before 6 p.m., when 24-year-old Carl Hardy was standing with a group of friends in a courtyard in the 1200 block of I Street, SE. Suddenly, a vehicle that had been circling the neighborhood stopped, and multiple armed individuals jumped out and began shooting into the crowd.
More than 30 bullets were fired from assorted weapons, including an assault rifle. Amid the chaos, Hardy was struck by the gunfire. He was rushed to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. For three weeks, he fought for his life, undergoing multiple surgeries, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries on October 1, 2017.
The investigation into the shooting quickly focused on a violent feud between rival neighborhood gangs. Authorities identified Carl Hardy as a member of a crew from Potomac Gardens. The suspects were believed to be part of a rival gang based in Wellington Park. Investigators were aided by a high-definition surveillance video from a homeowner across the street, which captured the shooters fleeing the scene and getting back into their vehicle. This footage proved to be instrumental in identifying those responsible for the brazen attack. Police also found social media posts from one of the suspects seemingly bragging about the shooting.
Within weeks of Carl Hardy's death, arrests were made. On October 26, 2017, police arrested 16-year-old Saquan Williams. Shortly after, on November 2nd, a second suspect, 17-year-old Quincy Garvin, was also taken into custody. Both teenagers were charged as adults with first-degree murder while armed. The subsequent trial, which took place years later, revealed that Williams, Garvin, and others had deliberately driven to the Potomac Gardens neighborhood with the intention of targeting rivals.
In July 2022, a D.C. Superior Court jury found both Saquan Williams, then 20, and Quincy Garvin, then 22, guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and criminal street gang affiliation in connection with the fatal shooting of Carl Hardy. The following year, they were sentenced for their roles in the deadly courtyard ambush. Saquan Williams received a 35-year prison sentence. His co-defendant, Quincy Garvin, was sentenced to 36 years in prison, bringing a measure of closure to a case fueled by a senseless neighborhood beef.
