What happened to Raymond Spencer?
Police believed that Raymond Spencer was responsible for the shooting of at least four people in northwest D.C. on Friday, was found dead, said D.C. police chief Robert Contee at a news conference on Friday night. The department does not believe that there were other shooters.
Contee said the suspect, Raymond Spencer has killed himself as police entered the apartment, he was in. He added that the police could not identify the suspect until next of kin were notified.
Contee said that when they searched the suspect’s apartment, they found more than six firearms, including several “long guns” and several cartridges and handguns. During the investigation, it turned out that the suspect obtained the weapon illegally.
“This was very much a sniper-type set up with a tripod and this person obviously his intent was to kill and hurt members of our community. It appears the person was shooting randomly at anyone that was out there,” said Contee.
The department was looking for Raymond Spencer, 23, of Fairfax, Va., as a person of interest in connection with the shooting, but Chief Contee said the department had called off the search.
At least four people were shot dead in the 2900 block of Van Ness, including a 12-year-old girl. D.C. Police Assistant Chief Stuart Emerman said videos circulating on social media that police believe link Spencer to the shooting, but they have not yet named Spencer as a suspect.
Contee said during a press conference that it “appears” this is the video that police used in their investigation.
The 54-year-old man was a retired member of the Metropolitan Police Department, while the woman, in her 30s, was in a stable condition, Contee said. A girl of 12 years was also in stable condition with a minor gunshot wound. Chief Emerman said police were later notified that a woman in her 60s had also been shot and shot in the back. She received help on the spot. It is still unknown if the victims are related.
A letter by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was released to the community which is a part said, “I am grateful for many people tonight. I am grateful for the police officers, federal partners, and first responders who rushed to the scene and who rush to scenes every day. I am grateful for the people who provided tips as well as the investigators who worked quickly to identify the suspect. I am grateful for the residents and school communities who patiently sheltered in place throughout the evening and those who patiently waited to get access to their homes. I am especially grateful for the staff at Edmund Burke who took care of students in the school during this terrifying experience.”
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