Judge Releases Defendant Charged with Carrying Pistol

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 11, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides |

On April 10, a judge granted a defendant’s motions for release because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the motion, Bruce Ross’s lawyer requested that he be release because of the potential dangers from the global pandemic, or he be allowed to speak with his counsel.

On April 4, the DC Department of Corrections implemented a medical stay-in-place, stopping all visits will attorneys unless actively in trial.

Ross, 18, is charged with carrying a pistol outside of a home or business. He was initially charged with carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm and tampering with a GPS device.

According to court documents, on March 26 officers from the Metropolitan Police Department were patrolling an area located near the 1500 block of Tobias Drive, SE when they heard gunfire.

When the officers responded to the area the the shots came from Ross ran away and the officers gave chase. During the chase Ross discarded a black .9mm ghost gun.

The gun was retrieved with no ammunition in the chamber or magazine. Documents state that there was a strong gunpowder odor coming from the magazine as if the gun had recently been fired.

Officers also found a cut GPS tracking device.