Anthony Niwatilagu Long, a 45-year-old man from Washington, D.C., has been arrested on charges of second-degree murder while armed, in connection with the fatal shooting of 44-year-old Melvin Saunders, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The arrest followed a preliminary hearing for a separate case at the D.C. Superior Court, where Long was charged in an assault incident involving a firearm and a stabbing against another individual, Donald Cook, on January 3, 2026. Long was arrested yesterday after the hearing took place.
Magistrate Judge Dorsey G. Jones, II, found probable cause for second-degree murder while armed and ordered Long held until a preliminary hearing set for January 20, 2026, before Judge Rainey Brandt, as detailed in the court's calendar.
An affidavit supporting Long's arrest states that the shooting took place in an apartment at the North Capitol Commons, specifically the John and Jill Ker Conway residence, and it involved an exchange where Long declared his affiliation with the "Crips" then accused Saunders, whom he shot in the temple, of being associated with rival gang the "Bloods," he then fled the crime scene on foot, discarding clothes to change his appearance, aiming to avoid capture by police authorities.
Interim Chief Jeffrey Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department has been cited as joining the announcement of the arrest, signifying the department's ongoing investigation into the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marybeth Manfreda. The source for this information, as provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, emphasizes that these charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
