2 People Shot Outside Restaurants in Washington DC, Diners Flee for Safety

Police Chief Robert Contee speaks to reporters, with Mayor Muriel Bowser, after a shooting in Washington, on July 22, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Two adult males were shot outside popular restaurants on 14th street in Washington, D.C., in the evening of July 22, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

The shooting occurred near the intersection of 14th Street and Riggs Street NW, sending diners fleeing from the area to seek safety.

According to WUSA 9, one person was shot in the chest while the other was shot in the arm.

Both victims were conscious and breathing when police arrived on the scene, and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. They were taken to hospital and are recovering, police said.

“At approximately 8:20 pm, members of the Third District heard the sounds of gunshots and responded to the listed location,” officials said in a statement. 

“Upon arrival, members located two adult male victims, both conscious and breathing, suffering from gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victims to area hospitals for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.”

Police released CCTV images of the suspects and vehicle involved in the incident, and are asking the public for further information on the shooting.

On Twitter, officers said they are searching for a black male wearing a lime green/yellow hooded sweater who fled the scene in an older black Honda Civic with DC tags. The vehicle was last seen heading eastbound towards S Street, NW.

Further video footage released on Twitter shows the area blocked off as emergency services respond to the scene.

Washington police Chief Robert Contee held a press conference at the scene and told reporters that it appears at least one person was targeted and the other person may be an “innocent bystander,” but noted this is preliminary information.

He said “more than one shot” was fired and that officers arrived at the scene “within five seconds,” because they were investigating a prior shooting where two weapons were discovered in two separate locations.

Contee added that the incident was “totally unacceptable” and that the shooting took place in an area with a lot of people around.

“We have to make sure these individuals are held accountable... are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.

“We need to get our court systems back over. There are individuals out here on our streets who we know are violent felons. We need to make sure that these individuals are being held accountable for the actions that they commit in our community.”

“I think this really kind of speaks to the brazenness of some of the criminals that we’re seeing in our community,” Contee added.

The shooting remains under investigation.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, told reporters at the scene Thursday night that she was “outraged.”

“I’m outraged, the chief is outraged, and the community should be outraged,” Bowser said. “Our detectives are going to track down every lead ... so we can get these individuals and hold them accountable.”

She also pledged that all city agencies would work to provide prevention services for those involved with illegal guns and urged family members to reach out before shootings take place.

“We need to get to them before they use their guns. It can destroy the lives of so many people when that gun is used indiscriminately on our streets,” Bowser continued.

Thursday’s shooting comes after a 6-year-old girl was killed and five other people were wounded when a shooter opened fire Friday night in a Southeast Washington neighborhood, just feet from where police officers were stationed.

Police identified the girl as Nyiah Courtney. Three men and two women suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Three people were also injured in a shooting between vehicles on Saturday night outside Nationals Park which postponed the game and sent baseball fans and players scrambling during a game.