Court documents charge man with murder following deadly shooting in Northeast DC sparked by bathroom dispute
A murder charge has been filed against a suspect who allegedly shot and killed a man after a dispute at DC Doors, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting the Latino community in Washington D.C. with housing needs.
22-year-old Clarence McKnight is now facing second-degree murder charges in connection with the tragic death of 23-year-old Brandon Lewis, as confirmed by the police.
The documents reveal that the fatal incident unfolded within the housing center at 900 Rhode Island Ave., NE, around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1. McKnight was in the bathroom at the time, when another man started banging on the door, urging McKnight to hurry up as he needed to use it.
McKnight exited the bathroom after repeatedly knocking on the door. He approached the individual who had been pounding on the door and issuing threats. McKnight confronted the person, inquiring if they were interested in engaging in a physical altercation.
They stepped outside, and the man made it clear that he was willing to fight McKnight. However, when McKnight noticed that the man was accompanied by another individual, later identified as Lewis, he had second thoughts about engaging in a fight. He was concerned that the two of them might gang up on him.
According to McKnight, he started walking away but mentioned that the men persisted in following him as he circled the building before eventually returning inside the DC Doors building.
After reviewing the CCTV footage, the police have confirmed that the men were indeed seen re-entering the building.
D.C. Fire and EMS immediately responded to the incident and swiftly transported Lewis to MedStar Hospital. Tragically, he was pronounced dead shortly after 7:15 p.m.
McKnight was apprehended shortly after the incident. As per the court records, during his interview with the police, he expressed his thoughts, stating that “the entire situation was messed up and could have been prevented by both parties.”
The preliminary hearing for him is scheduled for December 13th at 9:30 a.m.
