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By
Adriana Marroquin
- January 9, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Parties delivered opening statements and heard testimony from a victim during a trial on Jan. 8, before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan.
Antoine Johnson, 28, is charged with with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, unlawful discharge of a firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. These charges stem from his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on May 21, 2023, on I-695 southbound near exit 2B. No injuries were reported from the incident.
“People intend the natural and probable consequences of their actions – [Johnson] intended to kill [the victims],” the prosecution insisted in opening statements. According to the prosecutor, “tensions were high, people were angry,” in the moments leading up to the shooting.
The prosecutor told the jury the incident stemmed from a disagreement in which the complainant’s then 17-year-old son was found in bed with his 14-year-old girlfriend by her parents. They called the police to arrest the boy, but the complainant was allowed to drive his son home.
According to the prosecution, Johnson arrived at the scene as the complainant and the girl’s mother spoke outside her home, with Johnson allegedly telling the woman “We ain’t doing no talking, I’ve seen his face.”
The prosecutor argued the complainant and his son got into their Jeep SUV and drove away from the scene, as Johnson closely followed behind them in a white Chevy Malibu – later shown in surveillance footage cutting people off in traffic and running a red light to follow the complainant’s vehicle onto I-695.
According to the prosecutor, the vehicle was registered to Johnson’s longtime girlfriend.
In the shooting a bullet lodged in the driver’s door of the Jeep, and others shattered the passenger side windows, according to the prosecution.
“By some miracle, [the complainant and his son] survived that night,” the prosecutor told the jury, adding “[Johnson] tried to kill [the complainants].”
The prosecutor told the jury surveillance footage and cell-site data would help prove that Johnson was in the area of the initial incident and the shooting.
However, Matthew Rist, Johnson’s attorney, disagreed with the prosecutors, stating “this entire case is speculation.”
According to Rist, the complainants told officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) they had smoked marijuana before the shooting and provided two different descriptions of the shooter to the police.
Rist argued they missed important descriptors for Johnson, including his facial tattoos and red dreadlocks.
He argued MPD developed Johnson as the suspect because an officer recognized him at the original scene from an earlier contact. He insisted they didn’t peg the Malibu as the suspect vehicle until months later, when Johnson was arrested.
“They want you to follow breadcrumbs,” Rist said about the prosecution’s arguments.
The prosecution called on the victim, who provided his version of the confrontation. He dropped his son off at a female friend’s home on the day of the incident, and arrived to pick him up about an hour later as his son had requested.
“I was outside, and a parent of the young lady came out,” the complainant said, stating the mom was upset because she hadn’t invited his son into the house. “It was a lot of yelling,” according to the complainant.
“When she came out, she said she called the police and was going to hold him,” the complainant stated, adding he called MPD himself and told them to hurry as he knocked on the front door.
The complainant testified the police were able to get the parents to release his son, but he was unable to leave the area because his car broke down. “They [MPD] didn’t give me a jump fast enough, I feel like,” the complainant argued. “I couldn’t leave and they didn’t help me.”
According to the complainant, a crowd began to form outside the girl’s home before he and his son left the area.
He testified he drove from the 1000 block of 5th Street, SE towards M Street to go to the bridge that took him to I-695, and noticed a car following him as he weaved through traffic. As he attempted to get on the freeway, the complainant stated, “I was shot at.”
“I was hitting gas, trying to move,” the complainant recalled, stating he was worried for his and his son’s safety.
The complainant told Rist he had no memory of the shooter, and that MPD never provided him with an image of the suspected shooter or suspect vehicle.
“I’ve tried to forget about it,” the complainant said.
Parties are slated to reconvene Jan. 10.