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By
Becca Parnass [former]
- May 12, 2025
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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The trial in a fatal shooting case continued on May 7 before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park with a witness recounting how the bloody victim pleaded for help.
Naquel Henderson, 27, and Alonzo Brown, 28, are charged with first degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. These charges stem from their alleged involvement in a shooting that killed Michael Taylor, 21, and injured two others on Jan. 12, 2019, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE.
In addition to Henderson and Brown, three other men are charged with the death of Taylor. Tavist Alston, 31, and Stephon Evans, 24, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, and Carlos Turner, 27, is set for sentencing on May 16.
As the trial resumed, an eyewitness to the shooting testified that she saw two men dressed in all black and wearing ski masks in the courtyard outside her apartment building while she was with her children, getting ready to go grocery shopping.
She testified that when shots rang out, she quickly brought her children back into her apartment, before calling 911 to report the incident. She said she saw two individuals injured, one who sustained a gunshot wound to the face and another who sustained one to the chest.
An additional eyewitness testified that she tried to assist Taylor with his injuries. She said that she was inside her apartment when she heard shots ring out, and instinctively got down on the floor.
Afterwards, she went into the hallway to see what happened and Taylor was outside her door, with a gunshot wound to the face and pleading for help. She didn’t know Taylor, but attempted to administer first aid by applying pressure with sheets gathered from her apartment.
Additionally, a detective sergeant from the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) electronic surveillance unit testified to receiving a request a few days after the shooting to download CCTV footage from the area where the shooting took place. However, the sergeant testified that he had no additional involvement in the investigation.
Trial is slated to resume May 12.