In the early morning hours of Sunday, September 6, 2015, a sense of unease settled over the 6400 block of 7th Street, NW in Washington, D.C. At approximately 3:22 a.m., the quiet was shattered by the sound of gunfire. When police arrived, they discovered 55-year-old Uyer Barnard Hooper suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital, but tragically, his injuries proved to be fatal.
Before succumbing to his wounds, Hooper managed to provide a crucial piece of information
to investigators; he identified the man who had shot him. This dying declaration led police to their suspect. Another man was also wounded in the incident but survived.
Based on Hooper's identification, an arrest was made that very same day. The suspect, Dejuan Etheredge, was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. Prosecutors later presented the victim's final words as key evidence during legal proceedings. While the prosecution suggested that the motive for the shooting was related to drug dealings, a judge later dismissed this argument, deeming the suspect's alleged criminal profile as not relevant to the case.
