WASHINGTON, D.C. – Metropolitan Police have arrested 18-year-old Jelani Cousin in connection with the city’s first homicide of 2024. Cousin faces charges of second-degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of Ashlei Hinds, also 18, from Clinton, Maryland.
The incident occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day at the Embassy Suites located on the 4300 block of Military Road NW, in the Friendship Heights neighborhood. The shooting was reported shortly after 1:15 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1.
According to Councilmember Matt Frumin, the tragedy unfolded during a party at the hotel when an individual, now identified as Cousin, discharged a firearm inside one of the rooms, resulting in Hinds’ death.
The Metropolitan Police Department released photos of the suspected shooter on Tuesday, leading to the identification and subsequent arrest of Cousin. The incident has brought renewed attention to gun violence in the area, sparking discussions about safety and security in public spaces.
