An 18-year-old man is now facing a sweeping 69-count indictment after a January shooting at a Northwest D.C. bus stop that left five people wounded, authorities said. Investigators say the violence stemmed from a dispute that started on a Metrobus and spilled onto the sidewalk near 16th Street NW and Missouri Avenue NW on Jan. 22. All five victims survived and were treated at area hospitals.
What investigators say
Police say the trouble began around 5:40 p.m. inside a Metrobus, when a verbal argument escalated to the point that the driver pulled over and ordered the people involved to get off. The confrontation continued on the sidewalk, where gunfire erupted near the busy intersection of 16th Street NW and Missouri Avenue NW.
WJLA reports that officers recovered multiple shell casings at the scene and temporarily shut down the 5900 block of 16th Street NW while detectives searched for a suspect. MPD Interim Chief Jeff Carroll said the victims included two juveniles and three adults, and their injuries were not expected to be life threatening.
Charges and indictment
Prosecutors have identified the accused as Anthony Del Cid-Morales. They say a grand jury returned an indictment listing 69 counts, including assault with intent to kill while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and aggravated assault while armed, according to WUSA9.
Authorities say some of the charges carry sentence enhancements because the alleged crimes targeted Metro transit passengers, and that Del Cid-Morales was arrested nearly four months after the shooting. Court records show he is scheduled to appear on July 10.
Victims and witness accounts
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the argument turned into a flurry of gunfire and people scrambled for cover. "Shots are fired, we all duck and crawl around trying to find a spot to cover," one onlooker recalled. Another said, "we could hear people yelling and crying right outside the windows; there were people bloody," according to the same WUSA9 report.
Prosecutors additionally allege that three of the people who were shot had been with a girl Del Cid-Morales allegedly sexually assaulted on the bus shortly before the shooting. Investigators are reviewing bus surveillance video and canvassing nearby businesses for additional footage.
What's next
The investigation remains active, and detectives are urging anyone who was near the bus stop that evening to come forward with video or tips. As FOX 5 reported, officers collected evidence at the scene while hospitals treated the wounded and MPD encouraged witnesses to contact its tip line.
If Del Cid-Morales is convicted on the most serious charges, and with the alleged transit related enhancements, prosecutors say he faces significant prison time.
