Five people were wounded in a shooting near Howard University in Washington, D.C., on Friday evening, Oct. 24, with two suspects now in custody, according to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Police said officers were called to Howard Place NW — just outside the university’s campus — around 8:30 p.m. local time. Responding officers found five victims: three men, one woman, and a 13-year-old boy. All were reported to be “conscious and breathing” at the scene.
DC Fire and EMS transported the victims to nearby hospitals, officials confirmed.
Authorities told DC News Now, NBC Washington, and The Washington Post that none of those injured were Howard University students, though one victim is a student at Morgan State University.
Two people were taken into custody, and three firearms were recovered at the scene. One of the suspects attempted to flee but was apprehended in a nearby McDonald’s parking lot, according to police.
The incident occurred on the eve of Howard University’s homecoming weekend, during which its football team is scheduled to play Morgan State University.
In a statement on Saturday, Howard University said the shooting was unrelated to the school and that no students, faculty, or staff were involved. The university added that the altercation appeared to have begun as a confrontation between two individuals.
“HUPD [Howard University Police Department] has implemented enhanced security measures throughout the weekend, including an increased presence of University security and personnel and local law enforcement agencies on and around campus to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all,” the university said.
Howard also thanked the MPD and campus police for their quick, coordinated response “to protect the safety of our community.”
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Witnesses at the scene described chaos as gunfire broke out.
“All we heard was yelling,” one man told DC News Now, adding, “We can’t do nothing in D.C. … This happens every time there’s a function in D.C., especially homecoming. D.C. [is] dangerous.”
Another witness, Jaiden Ramirez, said he was playing basketball nearby when three men ran across the street yelling, followed by six to seven gunshots.
“We panicked, we ran inside, and then we came outside 30 minutes after,” Ramirez said. “We were not trying to get shot.”
During a Friday night press conference, MPD Chief Pamela Smith urged residents to “put the guns down.”
“We need folks to put these guns down in our city,” she said, per NBC4 Washington. “We’re not going to tolerate individuals coming into our town with firearms.”
