Case Acquitted: Defendant in Shooting and Stabbing Case Acquitted

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This case was acquitted on Dec. 1, 2023.

On Dec. 1, a defendant charged in relation to a shooting and stabbing incident was acquitted of all charges by a jury.

Randy Deleon, 46, was acquitted of 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 victims were a father and son, one suffering from a stab wound during the altercation. No injuries were reported from the gunshot.

After deliberating for a few hours, the jury delivered a verdict of not guilty for all counts.

Throughout the week-and-a-half-long trial, jurors heard from members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the victims, and individuals who live near the incident.

The son, who was stabbed, testified that on the day of the incident, he was down the street from the restaurant standing near a bus stop cutting down flags because Cinco de Mayo had passed.

During his testimony on Nov. 28, the victim told prosecutors he saw a red SUV pull up behind a black car, which belonged to his father. The victim saw a man get out of the red SUV and walk to the window of the black car.

According to the victim,two individuals, who he identified as his father and Deleon, got out of their cars and began to fight.

The victim stated to prosecutors that he saw them make their way in front of the restaurant, where he recalls seeing a knife and a belt or a chain that Deleon was swinging back and forth.

The victim told prosecutors that he knew it was Deleon because he owned a shoe store across the street from his father’s restaurant.

He stated that when he saw the altercation occurring, he ran to where Deleon was swinging the chain, grabbed it, wrapped it around his hands, put his foot behind Deleon’s foot, and tripped him up.

The victim testified that he recalls his father grabbing a metal rod from his car and he started to hit the hands of Deleon to get the knife out of his hands. Deleon had another knife, according to the victim, but he removed it in the struggle.

After the initial incident was over, the victim said he saw Deleon walk toward his father’s black car and begin to load a firearm. Deleon pointed the firearm at the father’s car as he was pulling out of the spot and he said he recalls hearing one shot.

According to prosecutors, the case is about jealousy and anger, and they urged the jury to consider a verdict of guilty based on the alleged shooting and stabbing that Deleon did to the victims.

Deleon’s defense attorney, Peter Odom, argued that everything Deleon did was in self-defense and that Deleon was the one who was attacked by the owner of the restaurant.

Following a few hours of jury deliberations, the jury delivered their verdict.

Following the acquittal, Deleon was released from custody.

No further dates are scheduled.