Teenage Boy Killed In Concert Shooting In D.C., Police Officer Among Three Injured

Topline

A 15-year-old boy was killed and three others were injured in a shooting near an unauthorized concert in Washington D.C. on Sunday evening, amid reignited calls for tighter gun ownership laws following a string of high-profile mass shootings across the country.

Key Facts

The shooting took place near the venue of a free music festival called “Moechella,” which was earlier shut down by police, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said in a press conference.

Contee said a fight had broken out among some of the attendees which was initially resolved.

But police moved to shut down the event after “a secondary incident” which caused people to scatter and led to multiple injuries.

The shooting took place near the venue of the concert shortly after it was shut down and a police officer was among the three people who were wounded by gunfire.

All three injured individuals are recovering at a nearby hospital, the police chief added.

Crucial Quote

“We have a child that was killed today at an event that did not have any proper planning for the number of people who were here and with guns involved…we need some accountability here.” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said at the press conference.

Key Background

Calls for more stringent gun legislation have risen following multiple recent mass shooting incidents—including one at a primary school in Texas that resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers. Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of 20 senators unveiled a legislative proposal that would step up background checks for people aged between 18 and 21 and offer funding to states to pass “red flag laws” allowing courts to temporarily take away guns from people deemed high risk.

Big Number

68%. That’s the percentage of voters across the country who support the enactment of stricter gun laws, according to a Morning Consult/Politico poll published last week. A majority of respondents from all political cohorts—Democrats(90%), Republicans (51%) and Independents (67%)—said they support such legislation.

Further Reading

Police: One dead, three injured in DC shooting (ABC News)

Teen killed, D.C. officer shot after concert linked to Juneteenth celebration (Washington Post)