Ronnie Amarion Massey died at the scene after gunfire erupted along Connecticut Avenue in Northwest DC, leaving another victim hospitalized.
WASHINGTON, DC – A 22-year-old Virginia man was shot and killed along Connecticut Avenue in Northwest DC early Sunday morning, while a woman was wounded and a nearby business window was damaged by gunfire. DC police identified the man as Ronnie Amarion Massey of Fairfax, Virginia, as homicide detectives continued investigating the deadly shooting.
The violence unfolded around 2:52 a.m. Sunday, October 18, in the 1300 block of Connecticut Avenue Northwest, near Dupont Circle. Metropolitan Police Department officers responding to a shooting report found Massey unconscious and not breathing, along with an adult woman who was conscious and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene and attempted lifesaving measures, but Massey was pronounced dead. The woman was transported to a local hospital with injuries police described as non-life-threatening.
Gunfire Kills Virginia Man Near Dupont Circle
According to the Metropolitan Police Department’s official homicide announcement, Second District officers arrived to find two people wounded by gunfire.
Massey was unresponsive when officers reached the scene. Emergency responders attempted to save his life, but he died before he could be transported to a hospital.
The injured woman survived and was taken for medical treatment. Police have not disclosed her age or identity, nor have investigators explained whether she and Massey knew each other.
Gunfire also struck a nearby business, damaging a window. The establishment was unoccupied at the time, and police reported no additional injuries to members of the public.
The shooting occurred along a section of Connecticut Avenue lined with restaurants, shops and nightlife establishments near Dupont Circle.
Investigators have not publicly established a motive or identified the person responsible for Massey’s death.
Another Shooting Reported Nearby Minutes Apart
The fatal shooting was one of two separate gunfire incidents reported along Connecticut Avenue early Sunday morning.
At approximately 2:55 a.m., Second District officers also responded to the 1700 block of Connecticut Avenue Northwest, where they found an adult man suffering from a gunshot wound.
That victim survived and was transported to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
In the separate investigation, police released surveillance images of two persons of interest and requested the public’s help identifying them.
According to DC News Now’s reporting on the nearby shooting, detectives believe the two incidents were not connected.
The distinction is significant because the shootings occurred only minutes apart on different blocks of the same major roadway.
The fatal shooting involving Massey remains a homicide investigation, while the incident in the 1700 block is being investigated separately.
Shore News Network previously reported on Massey’s death and the police response along Connecticut Avenue.
DC Police Offer $25,000 Reward in Homicide Investigation
The Metropolitan Police Department is asking anyone who witnessed the October 18 shooting or has information about the person responsible to contact investigators.
Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for a homicide in the District.
Anyone with information can call 202-727-9099 or send a text message to the department’s tip line at 50411.
The department advises residents not to approach or confront anyone they believe may be involved in the case.
Police have not announced an arrest in Massey’s killing. His death is being investigated under Metropolitan Police Department case number 26149290.
For Massey’s family in Fairfax, the shooting left a 22-year-old dead following a violent encounter miles from home. Investigators are continuing to seek information about the circumstances surrounding his death and the person responsible.