A D.C. man, Renard Levenberry, has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars following his involvement in two separate shooting incidents at Starburst Plaza last summer, as confirmed by a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Levenberry, 29, entered guilty pleas to charges including aggravated assault while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with the June 13, 2024, incident, and assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm for the later August 20 event.
In the June incident, Levenberry engaged in a purported drug deal turned robbery at the plaza located at 1501 Maryland Avenue, NE, during which the events took a violent turn, and he shot the individual he robbed in the leg after being chased; on another occasion, on August 20, without any evident provocation, Levenberry opened fire on a moped driver, a stray bullet from his firearm wounded an innocent bystander at a bus stop, both the assaults were not only reckless but also indicative of a blatant disregard for human life, according to officials. The brazen nature of the shootings, both of which were captured on video surveillance and substantiated by DNA and ballistics evidence, hastened the legal proceedings leading to Levenberry's sentencing, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith released a joint statement regarding the case, praising the dedication of the investigators from MPD who brought the case to a close. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Kraig Ahalt were also acknowledged for their meticulous work in the investigation and prosecution of these back-to-back violent incidents.
