A targeted drive-by shooting during a Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C. left nine people injured, including two children. After the shooting took place, officers were alerted about the incident just before 1 a.m. Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons stated that a dark SUV was involved in the shooting, with someone inside firing shots at residents who were outside celebrating the holiday. The shooting appears to have been directed at specific individuals, according to Parsons.
Authorities are currently searching for the dark SUV that was driving down Meade Street when the shooting took place. Parsons shared a video statement on Twitter, explaining that the vehicle stopped on the street and fired shots in the direction of the residents. The incident occurred near the Maryland state line, and police responded promptly to the scene. Some of the victims of the shooting were taken to nearby hospitals by first responders. Others made their own way in private vehicles to seek medical attention. It remains unclear if all nine victims sustained gunshot wounds from the shooting. The investigation is ongoing in order to determine additional details about what took place.
The drive-by shooting took place as the nation celebrated Independence Day. None of the victims suffered from injuries that were life-threatening, but the fact that two of them were juveniles concerned investigators. Among the victims of the shooting were a 9-year-old and a 17-year-old. The ages and genders of the other victims have not been disclosed at this time.
The investigation into the incident is being conducted by D.C. police detectives, along with federal agents that are from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Authorities are working diligently to identify the suspects involved in the drive-by shooting.