Judge Finds Probable Cause For Defendant Charged With 10-Year-Old’s Death

By - October 16, 2023
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Oct. 16, DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein granted the prosecution’s request to hold homicide defendant Koran Gregory without bond after finding probable cause in a preliminary hearing. 

Gregory, 19, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in a fatal drive-by shooting that killed 10-year-old Arianna Davis on May 14, on the 3700 block of Hayes Street, NE. The defendant also has an additional case in which he is charged with possession of a large-capacity ammunition device, which was recovered during a search warrant execution in response to the homicide case. 

Although Gregory is not charged with criminal gang affiliation, he is alleged to be a part of what is known as the Congress Park Crew. 

According to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) documents, ShotSpotter detection software was alerted to the consistent sounds of gunfire.

According to the detective, witnesses on the scene recount three individuals exiting a vehicle and pulling out “machine guns” before firing over 50 rounds into the surrounding area. 

According to court documents, Davis and her family were driving home on Mother’s Day when they got caught in the crossfire. Davis was struck once in the head, and died from her injuries three days later on May 17. 

The shooting is alleged to have started over a feud between the Congress Park Crew and Paradise Crew. 

According to the detective, a confidential informant for MPD identified the defendant as one of the shooters based on surveillance footage captured before and after the shooting. The three shooters are seen on video getting out of a car that was allegedly carjacked April 24, and entering the Paradise-Parkside neighborhood, where the shooting occurred. Gregory allegedly acknowledged that video. 

Gregory’s defense attorney, Anthony Matthews, argued against probable cause saying the “evidence does not rise to probable cause,” and based on the evidence, suggested his client should only be prosecuted for accessory after the fact. 

Judge Epstein disagreed with the defense counsel’s reasoning, saying, “if there’s probable cause he was in the car, then there’s probable cause for the shooting.” 

Defense argued for Gregory’s release with any conditions the judge seemed fit, but Judge Epstein ruled in favor of the prosecution re-emphasizing the nature of the crime and dangerousness to society. 

The next hearing is set for Nov. 17.