Case Acquitted: Victims Testify Regarding Shooting and Stabbing Incident

By Nick Pallotto [former] - November 30, 2023
Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | stabbing | Suspects |

This case was acquitted on Dec. 1, 2023.

On Nov. 29, jurors heard emotional testimony from a victim who detailed the day of a shooting and stabbing incident before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan.

Randy Deleon, 46, is charged with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in a shooting and stabbing incident, which occurred at a family-owned restaurant, at the intersection of Lamont and 17th Street, NW, on Aug. 27. The incident left one victim suffering from a stab wound. No injuries were reported from the shooting.

Prosecutors called the victim who sustained a stab wound to continue his testimony from the previous day. They reminded the witness that he identified Deleon as someone involved in the shooting and stabbing because he saw him engage in an argument with the other victim, his father, the owner of the restaurant, by their cars parked on 17th Street.

Prosecutors confirmed when he ran towards the altercation between his father and Deleon, Deleon fled the scene in a red SUV.

According to the stabbing victim, two days after the incident, he ran into Deleon at his shoe store and called 911.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrived, the victim pointed out a single shell casing found where Deleon allegedly fired the gun.

According to the witness, during the struggle, he was able to remove a knife from Deleon’s pocket.

Peter Odom, Deleon’s defense attorney, in his cross-examination, showed the victim a picture of a tin foil object that his father allegedly used during the fight that could have contained a weapon.

According to the witness, he was solely focused on disarming Deleon. 

The son recalled telling MPD officers that his father was in possession of a stick or a rock during the struggle, but does not recall if he saw his dad using the object.

Further, he didn’t know if Deleon fired directly at his father or if he shot the gun in the air, but does recall hearing the gunshot. 

Following the victim’s testimony, prosecutors called a first-responding officer. 

He was able to identify that the shell casing on the sidewalk came from a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson firearm.  

According to the officer, when he spoke to the father, he said Deleon was responsible for the stabbing and the shooting.

Following the officer’s testimony, prosecutors called the father and owner of the restaurant. 

When asked about their relationship, the father stated he has known Deleon for several years because they own businesses in the same block. 

According to the witness, leading up to the incident, Deleon prevented him from stopping individuals stealing a motorcycle on their block. He recalled Deleon claiming he is the “king of Mount Pleasant” and insulted him. The victim testified that he was scared.

Deleon insulted him and told him to get out of his car so they “could kill each other.” Then, Deleon started aggressively waving a belt and knife at him. He pulled out the tin foil object from the back of his vehicle, and began defending himself against Deleon.  

His son was able to interfere and disarm Deleon as he was on the ground. 

During his testimony, the victim exclaimed “I could’ve killed him,” as Deleon was laying on the ground, stating he didn’t because he “didn’t want to spend the rest of life in prison.”

Following the altercation he told Deleon “You have your family and I have mine,” to which Deleon claimed he would get his gun and kill the victim. 

As he was leaving the area, he watched Deleon walking with a firearm and heard a gunshot. He looked back, and saw Deleon struggling with the firearm. Deleon allegedly shot at him on the 1600 block of Lamont Street, NW. 

In Odom’s cross-examination, he asked the father about the tin foil object and why he had it in his car at the time of the incident. The owner said he used to object to hit rats that make their way into the trash that is stored behind the restaurant.

Odom referred to the tin foil as a “rat killing stick,” which the witness denied, claiming it was not a weapon. 

The trial is slated to resume Nov. 30.