March Homicides Increase by 50% from February

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 12, 2022
Data | Featured | Homicides | Suspects |

There were 15 homicides in March, approximately a 50 percent increase from the previous month. In comparison, 13 homicides happened in March of last year.

Three people have been arrested in reference to March homicides, including a man suspected of multiple shootings of people experiencing homelessness in both Washington, DC and New York City.

Gerald Brevard, 30, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed in relation to the shooting of 54-year-old Morgan Holmes on the 400 block of New York Avenue, NE. Brevard was also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with intent to kill in relation to two other incidents that happened in the city. At the time, he was also wanted for shooting incidents in New York City. In all of the incidents in both locations, the victims were experiencing homelessness, according to the press releases.

Dawit Guevara, 28, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed in relation to the shooting of 56-year-old James Jackson on March 8 on the 3400 block of Sherman Avenue, NW.

Charles Lee, 28, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in relation to the homicide of 65-year-old David Dowdell on March 9 on the 1100 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. Dowdell died of trauma, according to police.

As of April 12, ten other homicides in March do not have any arrests linked to them.

According to D.C. Witness data, 12 of the 15 homicides that occurred in March were shootings.

There was also one vehicular homicide, one stabbing and one trauma-related homicide.

The vehicular homicide took place on March 16 at the intersection of New York Avenue and New Jersey Avenues, NW. A pedestrian, 52-year-old Joseph Robinson, was struck by dark colored SUV and a dark colored sedan. The operators of both vehicles fled the scene, according to a press release.

Kenneth Thomas Jr., 42, was stabbed to death during the early morning hours of March 14 on the 1900 block of 9^th Street, NW.

Dowdell was the oldest victim while 16-year-old Khalil Rich was the youngest victim. Rich was shot during the early morning hours of March 25 on the 1500 block of Isherwood Street, NE.