Jury Returns Guilty Verdict for Shooter Claiming Self-Defense

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Jurors convicted a suspect on weapons violations on May 17 after a two-day trial before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park.

Carlos Chambers, 26, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a previous conviction, carrying a pistol without a license, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of an unregistered firearm in connection to a shooting near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Mellon Street, SE on Dec. 12, 2022.

According to court documents, Chambers was a passenger in a car with two other individuals parked at a gas station. He allegedly jumped out and started shooting in the direction of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE. A rental car with four bullet holes was found nearby. No motive was found in the attack and there were no reported injuries.

Chambers’ attorney, Tammy Jacques, told D.C. Witness that Chambers was acting in self-defense.

“It all boils down to 47 seconds,” says Jacques. That’s the amount of time between when Chambers thought someone was shooting at him and he fired back instinctively.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers were in the area at the time of the incident, which was caught on body cameras.

Jacques also said that because of Chambers’ prior conviction he will face a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Judge Park set a sentencing hearing in the case for July 20 at 9:30 a.m.