UPDATE: Police have released photos of the suspect in the homicide. The victim was identified a 17-year-old Brendon Ofori, of Fort Washington, MD.
Police said a man is dead after a shooting that happened around 11:45 a.m. Sunday on a green line Metro train as it entered Waterfront Station.
MPD Executive Assistant Chief Andre Wright said the police got the call around 11:45 a.m. They went down to the platfrom of Navy Yard Metro Station where they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Officers attempted to administer aid but the individual died on the scene.
The case has been transferred to the MPD homicide division.
Police said the suspect got on the train at L’Enfant Plaza Station. He got in an altercation with the victim which escalated while on the train. As the train pulled into Waterfront, the next station southbound, the suspect pulled out a gun and shot the victim before exiting the system.
Police were called as the train pulled into Navy Yard Station.
A lookout was issued for a thin-build 25-27 year old black male wearing all black with curly hair and a carrying a silver or gray gun. At the press conference held around 3:30 p.m., Wright said the suspect has a moustache and was wearing black pants, shoes and sweatshirt. He fled at Waterfront Metro Station, exiting the Safeway and travelling northbound.
Wright said this was an isolated event that occured due conflict between the two individuals. He said it was too early to tell if the two had known one another previously.
There were other riders on the car at the time of the shooting, Wright added. “Thankfully, they stayed around and are giving us the information to make sure we get it to all 30 law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout.”
Wright said he was confident that police will get to the bottom of the case, but still asked anyone who has any information to call MPD at 202-727-9099.
At approximately 11:45 a.m., MTPD and MPD responded to a shooting aboard a Green Line train at Navy Yard Station. Unfortunately, despite lifesaving measures, the adult male victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Follow @Metrorailinfo for service information. #wmata
— Metro Transit Police (@MetroTransitPD) May 28, 2023
The shooting comes three days after police arrested a 24-year-old man at Pentagon City Station. Initially detained for fare evasion, the man was arrested by Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) officers after he refused to show identification for a citation. During a search, police said he had two semi-automatic weapons and a set of brass knuckles. That man was charged with fare evasion and carrying concealed firearms.
MTPD did not immediately reply to inquiries about any connections between the two cases.
Crime is up throughout the system, most notably homicides. An 18-year-old was shot two weeks ago at Wheaton station as he fled from other teenagers during an altercation. A 16-year-old has been charged in that case. on Feb. 1, a WMATA employee was shot at Potomac Avenue Station; the gunman was arrested and the Post reports, is being assessed as to his metal fitness to stand trial.
MTPD statistics up to the end of April 2023 show that crime on the metro system is far above where it was last year. There have been four homicides in 2023 versus 0 in 2022 and 85 aggravated assaults, versus 63 through the end of April 2022. But arrests are nearly double what they were last year to date, 919 in 2023 versus 486 in 2022.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s Text Tip Line by sending a text message to 50411.
