DC’s first homicide of 2024 reported on New Year’s Day just one hour after midnight
WASHINGTON - D.C.’s first homicide of the new year came just one hour after midnight on New Year’s Day and police have released a photo of the suspect in the shooting.
Investigators were called to the 4300 block of Military Road around 1:18 a.m. Monday morning where they found a woman inside of a hotel room suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victim, identified by police as 18-year-old Ashlei Hinds, of Clinton, Maryland, died at the scene.
READ MORE: Woman found shot dead inside DC hotel room on New Year’s Day: police
FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick says Hinds was celebrating with a group of people in a hotel room at the Embassy Suites in Friendship Heights. When one person was asked to leave the party, he turned and fired on the crowd.
Investigators are looking for a man described as 5'6" tall wearing black clothing and a black ski mask who was last seen leaving the location on foot. The suspect was caught on surveillance camera leaving the scene.
READ MORE: Gunman shoots victim after he turned over belongings during DC armed robbery: police
Several stabbings, another shooting, and three armed robberies were also reported on New Year’s Day.
The District recorded 274 homicides in 2023, an increase of 35% from the year before. It's also the highest number of homicides recorded in the nation's capital in over 20 years. Carjackings nearly doubled and car thefts were up 83%. Violent crime in total was up nearly 40%.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 202-727-9099 or text the Department's TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.
Councilmember Matt Frumin will host a public safety forum on January 17 at 6 p.m. at the Cleveland Park Library with D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith, D.C.’s U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, and Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb.
READ MORE: DC teen killed in shooting during last weekend of 2023; violence continues into new year