WASHINGTON — Police have released surveillance photos and a video that depicts a person they believe may have shot dead a 15-year-old boy and injured two others, along with a DC Police officer, at an event known as "Moechella" on June 19.
The shootings happened in the 2000 block of 14th Street Northwest around 9:30 p.m., where several hundred people had gathered.
The teenager, Chase Poole of Northwest D.C., died on the scene, while the other three victims' injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening.
Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction. Photos of the suspect, according to police, can be viewed below.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s text tip line by sending a text message to 50411.
Earlier in the evening, Contee said a large fight happened at the event around 6:30 p.m. MPD shut down the event as “unsafe.” DC Fire & EMS showed up to assist several people injured when they were trampled by people leaving the scene.
That's when another scuffle broke out, and the four people were shot.
"We have a child who was killed today and there was not proper planning for the event," Mayor Muriel Bowser said. "With police managing a crowd someone used a gun and a child is dead – we need some accountability here."
Contee said none of the officers on the scene fired their weapons, and at least one gun was recovered at the scene from one of the victims. Three of the shooting victims are recovering at the hospital.
"All of this occurred over a span of about two hours," DC Police Chief Robert Contee said. "It was an unpermitted event by the Moechella group."
According to an Instagram post on the Moechella page, the event was originally set to run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 14th and U Streets NW, in celebration of "Long Live GoGo the Movement." It is described as a peaceful demonstration, with performances by Yaddiya, New Impressionz, TOB and others.
The Instagram page LongLiveGoGoDC posted after the shooting, saying "As we continue to cultivate a platform to uplift the culture of Washington DC, we don't condone violence of any sort. Moechella is a symbol of black culture in dc and is built on the foundation of peace."