WASHINGTON D.C. – Tragedy struck Washington D.C.’s Lamond Recreation Center last Thursday, August 1, as an appalling shooting incident claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy. The victim, known as David Bailey, used to be a student at Deal Middle School.
The incident took place within range of a city surveillance camera, just outside the community center. Locals thought of the area as a bedrock for families, but the shooting has shattered that image. Patricia Cooper, who grew up in the neighborhood, now finds it hard to even mention the incident.
Another resident, Michelle Carpenter, confessed that fear has always been a part of their lives, a sentiment that has been magnified following the recent incident. The gunman, wearing a blue surgical mask and black pants, is alleged to have shot into a group gathered outside the center.
Also critically injured in the attack was an 18-year-old man. According to family members, he was specifically targeted due to a conflict, resulting in a gunshot wound in his neck. As per the police, both victims were shot outside the center, and the critically injured 18-year-old managed to return to the center for assistance.
The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is currently investigating the motive behind the shooting and the relationship between the two victims.