Prosecution Won’t Hold Mass Shooting Suspect as Investigation Continues

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A homicide defendant, held for his alleged involvement in a mass shooting, was permitted pre-trial release before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on April 14.

Antwan Shelton, 41, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the murder of 33-year-old former Morgan State University basketball star Blake Bozeman on Sept. 23, 2023, on the 1300 block of H Street, NE, at the CRU Lounge Hookah Bar. Three other individuals sustained injuries in the widely publicized shooting.

At the hearing, the prosecution asked to withdraw their detention hold on Shelton because they “are still investigating the facts of this case.”

A court spokesman told D.C. Witness in an email that as a result of their decision they can no longer legally hold Shelton in confinement.

The prosecution stated that while they have witness identification of Shelton, they are still “continuing the investigation.” Prosecutors requested that Shelton be released on GPS monitoring due to the violent nature of this incident.

“The government and police have made a mistake here,” said Wole Falodun, Shelton’s defense attorney. “Mr. Shelton is not the person who committed the crime in this case.”

Falodun stated that Shelton does not fit the identification of the suspect from security camera footage that night, noting that “the physical attributes don’t add up.”

“He is not the person in those photographs. Mr. Shelton’s ears are rather circular, and the suspect’s ears have a triangle [shape],” Falodun said, pointing out the height difference between the suspect and Shelton.

“At the minimum, [the prosecution] has reassessed the strength of this case,” said Falodun.

He argued for Shelton’s release without GPS monitoring, citing employment issues. He explained that Shelton’s former employer would only rehire him if he didn’t have an ankle monitor.

“It is premature for us to be talking about Shelton re-entering the community on just [personal recognizance],” Judge Brandt said. She ordered that Shelton have a GPS monitor installed and report to pretrial services weekly.

Parties are slated to reconvene May 16.