Three men were shot and wounded early Sunday on the 1900 block of 9th Street NW in Northwest Washington, D.C., in an attack that sent Third District officers rushing to the scene around 3:07 a.m. Police found all three victims conscious and breathing with apparent gunshot wounds, and they are expected to survive, according to police.
According to WJLA, D.C. Fire and EMS paramedics arrived at the scene to treat the men, and the Metropolitan Police Department is now searching for a suspect described as a man wearing a white shirt, black pants, and black shoes. No arrest has been made in connection with the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Police are asking anyone with information to text tips to 50411 or call 202-727-9099. Under the department's standing reward policy, tipsters whose information leads to an arrest and conviction in a non-fatal shooting can receive up to $10,000.
A Block With a Violent Track Record
This is not the first overnight shooting on this stretch of 9th Street NW. On May 11, 2025, Metropolitan Police responded to a triple shooting around 3 a.m. on the same block near U Street that injured a 17-year-old and two adult men, part of a violent Mother's Day weekend across the District, as reported by WUSA9.
Other violent incidents have piled up on the block throughout 2026. On May 18, members of the National Guard intervened to stop a physical fight and detain an unarmed carjacking suspect until Metropolitan Police officers arrived, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. The article also mentions another incident in 2026 without providing details.
Stabbings, Shootings and Legal Fallout
Gun and knife violence tied to nightlife on the block goes back further still. A non-fatal stabbing outside Unity Lounge on April 1, 2026, left a victim unconscious with multiple stab wounds around 12:35 a.m.; D.C. Superior Court Judge Jason Park found no probable cause and reduced the charges against Marques Price to simple assault, while defense attorney Elizabeth Weller characterized the incident as a bar fight, according to DC Witness. The article also references a prior legal case, but the provided sources do not establish its details.
Nightlife Density Fuels Community Debate
The 1900 block of 9th Street NW sits within a Police Service Area in MPD's Third Police District, a dense nightlife and commercial corridor near the U Street Metro station, according to Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau. D.C. officials previously formed a dedicated U Street Nightlife Task Force to address safety concerns in that same service area. Members of the Westminster Neighborhood Association have petitioned D.C.'s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration for a liquor license moratorium on the block to curb late-night crime and noise, a push that local Ethiopian business owners have opposed, arguing their venues were being unfairly targeted, as detailed by DCist.
The repeated violence on this specific block stands in some contrast to the citywide picture. Metropolitan Police Department crime data show 3,475 violent crimes in 2024, while non-fatal assaults involving a dangerous weapon fell 13% in 2025 compared with 2024. The stretch of 9th Street NW was also the site of several reported incidents and nightlife-related concerns.
For now, the search for Sunday's shooter continues, with investigators relying on the public's help through the tip line. Anyone with information is urged to contact police using the number listed above.
