On the evening of July 5, 2017, Malachi Yisrael, a 43-year-old Black male, was found unconscious in the 300 block of 50th Street, NE in Washington, D.C. He had sustained eight gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A juvenile male was also wounded in the incident.
The events leading to Yisrael's death reportedly began with a drug transaction involving 16-year-old Lamont McDonald.
An argument broke out between the two, escalating into a physical altercation when Yisrael struck McDonald, causing him to fall. As Yisrael moved to strike him again, McDonald, while still on the ground, began shooting. Yisrael turned to flee, but McDonald pursued him, continuing to fire even after Yisrael fell. The shooting only ceased when another individual at the scene began firing at McDonald, who then fled.
Later that same evening, McDonald was found in the area suffering from gunshot wounds to his back and buttocks. He was taken to a hospital for surgery. When questioned by detectives the following day, McDonald claimed he was at a basketball court when he heard gunshots and ran. He became emotional when told someone had died but also commented that the case would be impossible to solve without a murder weapon. Detectives noted swelling and discoloration on his face, consistent with being in a fight.
Based on witness accounts and the investigation, Lamont McDonald was arrested and charged as an adult with second-degree murder while armed in the death of Malachi Yisrael. Yisrael, who had a criminal past, had reportedly turned his life around, graduating from a D.C. Department of Transportation jobs program as a construction engineer. He was a father of five and a stepfather to five more.
