A hail of gunfire on a tranquil D.C. street and a violent armed robbery in Southeast Washington culminated in a grand jury indictment against three District men on charges including first-degree murder and kidnapping. Steven Metts, 18, Keondre Carroll, 21, and Jovontae Wallace, 19, are accused in the death of Raymond Ballard, 29, who was gunned down on January 23, 2024, as an unintended victim while he was in the E-Z Mart, prosecutors announced.
On March 15, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, together with officials from MPD, MTPD, and the ATF Washington Field Division, declared the indictment which spans sixteen counts, leveling the trio with grave accusations of not only murder but also armed kidnapping and robbery, following their alleged pursuit and subsequent fiery attack on a Metrobus which was ensnared and shot at by the defendants in their attempt to procure a Moose Knuckle jacket from a passenger, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia shared.
Held without bond after appearing before the Honorable Heidi Hermann, the indictment accuses the three men of horrific crimes perpetrated barely 24 hours apart. In addition to the harrowing incident on the bus, evidence shows the defendants unleashed a barrage of approximately 29 shots into a crowd, striking the unfortunate Ballard, who was later determined to be uninvolved with the primary conflict.
Authorities emphasized the brashness of these consecutive violent episodes, this case reflects a disturbing disregard for the sanctity of life wherein Metropolitan Police, Metro Transit Police, and federal agents have pooled resources to capture the suspects in response to the chaos that unfolded near Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, and the frightful scene where gunmen brazenly boarded a bus to assault and rob an individual before shooting at the retreating vehicle, as disclosed by the Department of Justice.
The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma McArthur, who will tackle the formidable task of dissecting the events that have left a community shaken and seeking justice for the seemingly random violence that tore through their streets, leaving one man dead and a city grappling with the aftermath.
