Three people were shot Saturday night on the 1500 block of South Capitol St. SE, just outside Nationals Stadium.
Two of the people were involved in the exchange of fire just at around 9:30 p.m. July 17, said Acting Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Christopher Geldart during a press conference. Another, whose injuries were not life-threatening, was attending the game.
Nationals staff initiated a “shelter-in-space” at the sound of gun shots, after which the stadium was cleared. The shooting had nothing to do with the stadium, Geldart said, commending the caution of Nationals staff but adding that at no time was any part of the incident inside the stadium. The stadium was not evacuated, but emptied after the shelter-in-place ended, Geldart said.
Geldart said that it is believed this was an isolated incident involving at least two vehicles, one of which fled the area. The investigation is continuing, he added, and there is a great deal of video from outside the stadium.Police presence will be increased in the area, he added.
The two involved shooters are being treated at hospital, where they are being questioned. The game was suspended in the sixth inning and will resume at 1:05 p.m. tomorrow, to be followed by the regularly scheduled game. The shooting comes just a day after a six-year-old girl was killed in a mass shooting on the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE.
Five adults were also injured in that shooting. Responding to a question about escalating violence, Gedart said efforts on behalf of the police and violence prevention were starting to show a decline shooting and homicides throughout the city.
“Any shooting, any homicide is tragic,” Geldart said. “This shooting tonight was tragic and it was tragic that it happened here.”
