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Suspect in DC shooting that hurt 4 found dead, police say

By J.J. Bullock Apr 22, 2022 | 4:07 PM
Raymond Spencer

(NewsNation) ⁠— The man police in Washington, D.C. wanted to speak to about a shooting that injured four people Friday is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, multiple law enforcement sources told NewsNation.

At a news conference, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Contee III said the man pulled the trigger as officers were entering his apartment. The officers found six guns and “multiple” rounds of ammunition inside.

Contee said the person who died by suicide was the suspected shooter, but they would not name him officially because his family had not been notified.

However, Contee added they were “no longer looking for” Raymond Spencer, 23, who they considered a person of interest earlier Friday. Police have not said they were looking for anyone else in connection to the shooting.

Spencer was connected to social media posts purported to be first-person video of the shooting. Contee said the videos “appeared” authentic but were still being analyzed. He was not sure if they were live-streamed or posted after the attack.

Earlier Friday evening, police announced a fourth victim — a 60-year-old woman “suffered a graze wound to the back” and did not have to go to a hospital. A 12-year-old, a woman in her 30s, and a retired MPD officer in his 50s were announced as victims earlier.

MPD Assistant Police Chief Stuart Emerman said the victims were all “stable.”

Contee said there were more than 20 rounds fired, but the final number is still being counted. No motive has been identified for the shooting, police said. Contee said it was a “sniper-type” set-up.

“We will get to the bottom of this and we will find out what the motive is,” Conte vowed.

Police were escorting students still hunkered down in nearby schools to a reunification center late Friday.

Officers initially were called to an area near the University of the District of Columbia, but the Metro Police Department later tweeted that the incident happened about half a mile away.

There was a heavy presence of ambulances, police and fire vehicles near Connecticut Avenue Northwest, where a portion of the road was blocked off. In a tweet posted at 3:47 p.m. local time, police said to avoid the area and encouraged those nearby to shelter in place.

Witnesses told NewsNation they heard several gunshots in the area, which is near a school. That school remained on lockdown Friday afternoon, according to the police department.

Police have asked anyone with information to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.

This is a developing report. Refresh for updates.