Keyword Search:
text size: A | A | A
D.C. Shooting Suspect Works for Councilman Graham, Sources Say
posted 06/19/09 11:07 pm
ABC 7 News - D.C. Shooting Suspect Works for Councilman Graham, Sources Say
Stay on top of breaking news!
Sign up for ABC 7 News e-mail alerts.
Your Email:  
Follow ABC 7 News on Twitter
Follow ABC 7 News on Facebook
related stories:
WASHINGTON - The suspected gunman in Thursday's shooting outside the Columbia Heights Metro station is a paid intern in D.C. Councilman Jim Graham's office, ABC 7 News has learned.

Devyn Black, 19, surrendered at 3rd District headquarters Friday, where he was placed under arrest. Black was accompanied by Graham, who represents Ward 1.

Graham said he had no idea Black was involved in a gang when he was hired. "What I did after you called me is I did two things, I talked to Chief Groomes and then I confronted Devyn," said Graham.

Black, a recent graduate from Wilson High School, has been working in Graham's office making $12 an hour for about a week and showed up to work after the shooting, the sources said. Graham questioned Black about the shooting Thursday, but Black denied involvement, sources said. Black allegedly admitted his role Friday, and Graham drove him to the police station, the sources said.

"We wouldn't recommend other citizens to do that. We want to make sure in other instances just call the police, we will come get him," said Asst. Chief Diane Groomes of the Metropolitan Police Department (web | news) .  

D.C. leaders returned to the shooting scene Friday, 24 hours after the violence that wounded two men, including a bystander.

Officials linked the shooting to growing gang violence in the District, and pressed the D.C. council to pass previously rejected emergency legislation that would allow civil penalties for suspected gang members.

On Tuesday, the council voted 9-4 to reject the bill that would have allowed prosecutors to obtain civil injunctions against suspected gang members.

According to Attorney General Peter Nickles, "You basically name at least four individuals who are participating in criminal gang activities. By that I mean drugs, guns, terrorizing a neighborhood."

If the people are spotted hanging out together, they "could be held in criminal contempt of a court order, which subjects you, potentially, to six months in jail," Nickles said.

Civil libertarians fought the measure when it was before the council. They held a small protest near the Mayor's press conference in Columbia Heights Friday.

"[Civil injunctions] do nothing to stop homicides; they do nothing to reduce major violent crime; and they do seriously threaten the civil liberties of innocent Washingtonians," said Ian Cooper, with the ACLU.

According to sources, the gunman and victim had argued after leaving a youth summer jobs orientation at the D.C. Convention Center.

The departing youths boarded trains and fights broke out. Metro police reportedly confiscated a revolver and brass knuckles.

When two of the youths exited at Columbia Heights, one pulled a gun from his waistband and opened fire. The intended target was shot in the leg and a bystander was grazed by a bullet. Both survived.

At a Columbia Heights news conference Friday, Mayor Adrian Fenty defended the summer jobs program, which he dramatically expanded to offer a job to 22,000 city youths between the ages of 14 and 21.

"That's the whole point of the summer youth jobs program is to get the young people who otherwise wouldn't have a positive thing to do this summer," Fenty said.

Sources do say youth summer employees do not go through background checks.



 Email To Friend  Email This Article  AddThis Feed Button     Add to Mixx!

read more stories in Local News

ABC 7 Talkback - Story Comments
You need to be a registered member of
ABC 7 News to leave comments on news stories.
Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.
Username or Email Address
Password
Please leave your comments below:
Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.
More News and Videos


TM & © WJLA/NewsChannel 8, a division of Allbritton Communications Company
Please read our Privacy Policy. By using this site, you accept our Terms of Service.
Children's Television | EEO Reports | DTV Consumer Education Reports
Closed Captioning Contact Information
WJLA adheres to the ICRA RATING SYSTEM
  {ts '2009-10-14 13:18:57'}