(October 19, 2011, The Washington Post)--Mohammed Abduselam finished his day shift at King Gas Convenience about 8 p.m. Monday, but he hung around to restock bags of chips and help the night cashier, according to his family and friends.
Two men entered the store, family and friends said, and when Abduselam saw a gun, he stepped outside to call 911. One of the men followed him and shot him, making Abduselam, 37, the fifth person killed in the District since Saturday.
“This guy, he did not deserve to die like this. Why would you shoot him?” Ephrame Kassaye said. Kassaye, who owns a convenience store across the street from King in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, said that when he learned of the shooting, he went to the hospital to assist Abduselam’s family, whom he described as distraught.
All five victims were men in their 20s and 30s. In all of the cases, investigators are searching for leads and suspects. Police said the killings, which took place over several days in different parts of the city, are unrelated and do not appear to be part of a pattern.
The homicides bring the total number for the District this year to 91, according to police statistics. By this time last year, 105 people were killed.
In a statement Wednesday, D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said the department’s homicide closure rate is about 90 percent. “I am confident that the recent homicides will be closed quickly, as well,” she said.
Davon Paul Gray, 21, was fatally shot about 11 p.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of High Street SE, a few blocks from Frederick Douglass’s historic Anacostia home.
The next day, about 8:20 p.m., Jawan Parker, 31, of Northeast was stabbed to death in the 1900 block of I Street NE, near Langston Golf Course. Police are looking for a female suspect. Read more from The Washington Post »
“This guy, he did not deserve to die like this. Why would you shoot him?” Ephrame Kassaye said. Kassaye, who owns a convenience store across the street from King in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, said that when he learned of the shooting, he went to the hospital to assist Abduselam’s family, whom he described as distraught.
All five victims were men in their 20s and 30s. In all of the cases, investigators are searching for leads and suspects. Police said the killings, which took place over several days in different parts of the city, are unrelated and do not appear to be part of a pattern.
The homicides bring the total number for the District this year to 91, according to police statistics. By this time last year, 105 people were killed.
In a statement Wednesday, D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said the department’s homicide closure rate is about 90 percent. “I am confident that the recent homicides will be closed quickly, as well,” she said.
Davon Paul Gray, 21, was fatally shot about 11 p.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of High Street SE, a few blocks from Frederick Douglass’s historic Anacostia home.
The next day, about 8:20 p.m., Jawan Parker, 31, of Northeast was stabbed to death in the 1900 block of I Street NE, near Langston Golf Course. Police are looking for a female suspect. Read more from The Washington Post »
No comments:
Post a Comment