DC police have announced the arrest of a man who is accused of multiple shooting attacks targeting people experiencing homelessness, and killing two of them.
The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Gerald Brevard, of Southeast DC, was arrested on Tuesday, March 15, by the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Brevard has been charged with first degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
The charges are related to three incidents, all involving homeless victims, that took place in the District in early March.
MPD announces an arrest has been made in reference to three shooting offenses that occurred in the Fifth District between March 3-9, 2022.
Thank you to all who assisted in making DC safer with this arrest!
Release: https://t.co/J2q7Avaz5U pic.twitter.com/OAzQXtpyf4
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) March 15, 2022
On March 9, 54 year-old Morgan Holmes was killed due to multiple stab and gunshot wounds. An MPD officer found his remains in the area of the 400 block of New York Avenue, Northeast around 3:00 pm while they responded to the location to investigate a fire.
Holmes showed no signs consistent with life and was pronounced dead at the scene. It was later ruled to be a homicide.
In one of the other two cases in connection with Brevard’s charges, an adult male victim sustained non-life threatening injuries after being shot on H Street, Northeast on March 8. The man was treated at a local hospital.
The third victim, also an adult male, was shot on New York Avenue, Northeast on March 3, and hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
Two other shooting attacks on homeless individuals sleeping on the street that occurred in New York City on Saturday, March 12 are also associated with the same suspect. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene.
“From the first incident, the Metropolitan Police has spared no resource in our efforts to identify the suspect behind these cowardly acts,” DC Police Chief Robert Contee said on Sunday. “We are committed to sharing every investigative path, clue and piece of evidence with our law enforcement partners to bring this investigation to a swift conclusion and the individual behind these vicious crimes to justice.”