Travone Henderson, a 21-year-old man from Washington D.C., has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a shooting incident that occurred last year, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. The shooting, which happened near a shopping center in Columbia Heights, left two people wounded. Henderson's sentence, handed down today, includes an additional three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Detailing the events of November 13, 2023, the government's evidence, which Henderson agreed with, recounts a brazen daylight altercation where Henderson, after walking past the DC USA shopping center entrance turned and opened fire on his victim as the victim tried to flee, while the victim was speaking to another man on the sidewalk, and a passing bystander were both shot in the legs as a consequence of Henderson's actions, Henderson then escaped the scene on foot immediately after the shooting. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith led the announcements of the sentencing.
The rapid coordination between law enforcement and judicial authorities was highlighted in the case, with commendations being specifically directed toward the Metropolitan Police Department upon the investigation's conclusion. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Carlton, who took part in the prosecution, was also recognized for his efforts in the case by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, ensuring that the guilty plea and the subsequent sentencing reflected the gravity of the offenses committed.
During the sentencing, Superior Court Judge Jason Park opted for a total of eight years’ imprisonment for Henderson, attributing the sentence to two charges: assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, Henderson had entered a guilty plea to these charges on February 28, 2024, demonstrating an acknowledgment of his role in the violence that shook the Columbia Heights community last November. Law enforcement officials have not publicly commented on the motives behind Henderson's act, leaving the community to grapple with the echoes of that midday violence.
