Police announce arrest in Monday’s Deanwood metro stabbing

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 12, 2016
Homicides | Victims |

Police on Tuesday announced an arrest had been made in the prior day’s stabbing of a teenager at the Deanwood metro station, in what police said was a “petty dispute with weapons.”

According to police, 15-year-old John Rufus Evans III was stabbed in the neck at the metro station just after 11 a.m. Monday morning. Police announced Tuesday that Jovante Hall, 18, has been charged with second-degree murder.

Assistant Chief of Police Peter Newsham said at a press conference that Evans and Hall knew each other and had an ongoing dispute. The two met on the same train traveling in the same direction by chance, and Newsham described the incident as a “petty dispute with weapons” resulting in violence.

This is the second homicide where a 15-year-old has been killed at the Deanwood metro station by another teenager in the past two weeks. On March 26, Davonte Washington was fatally shot while traveling to get a haircut with his mom and sisters. Maurice Bellamy has been charged with his murder.

Newsham said community members were instrumental in providing tips to police so an arrest could have been made within hours of the homicide. Police said they will be stepping up patrol at metro stations to ensure riders feel safe.

Mayor Muriel Bowser stressed at the press conference that perpetrators of incidents like these will be caught and brought to justice because of metro station cameras. Following the homicide Monday morning, police circulated photos of a person of interest, later identified as Hall.

“We were all shocked and saddened by the events of yesterday. What we want to be sure of is that we are telling young people that to resolve conflict is not to engage in these very significant altercations, because that can resolve in one of them being dead and one of them going to jail,” Bowser said. “These are not school yard incidents. These are real life altercations that have led to this homicide.”