In the winter of 2014, the life of 18-year-old Deangelo Gatling was cut short on a Sunday afternoon in Southeast Washington, D.C. On January 12th, at approximately 2:00 p.m., in the 2300 block of 24th Street SE, Gatling was found suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Gatling, a resident of Southeast D.C., was remembered by his family as a young man with aspirations of becoming an engineer who also had a passion for
rapping in his free time.
The investigation into the shooting moved forward, and less than a month later, an arrest was made. On February 7, 2014, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended 24-year-old David Washington, also from Southeast D.C. According to police, Washington was identified as a suspect in Gatling's murder. Further investigation, including a witness who reportedly identified Washington as the gunman who was masked during the incident, led to formal charges.
David Washington was subsequently charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Deangelo Gatling. During a preliminary hearing in March 2014, a judge found probable cause to hold Washington on the murder charge. Prosecutors presented evidence that included a car and video footage that they believed linked Washington to the crime. With the arrest and charging of a suspect, the Metropolitan Police Department considered the case closed.
