DC Superior Court Judge Heidi Herrmann found probable cause that a defendant likely committed a shooting after a detective’s testimony during a preliminary hearing on June 20.
Elijah Hernandez, 20, is charged with aggravated assault knowingly while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in a two perpetrator non-fatal shooting on the 3300 block of 14th Street, NW on April 23, 2024. An individual sustained an injury to their left leg as a result.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective, who investigated the shooting, recounted the scene and said one shooter was behind parked cars and the other shooter fired in the same direction from further north on the block.
The detective said both shooters were tracked via GPS monitoring devices previously installed on them. Hernandez’s GPS allegedly put him at the location of the shooting as it happened, with his movements following the first identified shooter after the incident.
Hernandez’s defense attorney, Joseph Fay, criticized the accuracy of the GPS data used, noting the evidence only put Hernandez in the areas indicated, but could not pinpoint his exact location.
Fay further argued that no witnesses identified Hernandez as one of the shooters. The detective confirmed that Hernandez did not clearly match witness descriptions, but he said one of the shooters was wearing a hood at the time of the incident.
Parties are set to reconvene on July 3.
