“They weren’t targeting anyone in particular, they just shot,” the prosecutor said in closing arguments

By Adriana Marroquin
– 15 August 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Murders | Shootings | Suspects | Victims |

A jury in the courtroom of Judge Robert Okun of Superior Court in Washington, D.C., heard further details of the prosecution's closing argument in a murder and conspiracy trial on August 14.

Mark Price, 29, and Antonio Murchison, 31, are charged with conspiracy, premeditated murder while armed, five counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, seven counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime and seven counts of belonging to a criminal gang. The charges stem from their alleged involvement in a mass shooting on July 16, 2018, in the 5300 block of 53rd Street, NE. The incident left 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson dead and four other people suffering gunshot wounds.

Additionally, Price is charged with first-degree intentional murder while armed, two counts of assault with intent to kill, threatening to injure or kidnap a person, four counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted person, and first-degree burglary while armed. These separate charges relate to his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 47-year-old Andre Hakim Young on July 30, 2018 in the 1500 block of 19th Street, NE.

A third co-defendant, 31-year-old Quanisha Ramsuer, is accused of obstruction of justice in connection with the murder.

Six other defendants were convicted in 2023 on charges related to the incident, including:

In her closing argument, which began on August 13, the prosecutor told the jury: “They have the guns, they have the car, they have the driver.” She insisted that the defendants had plotted to carry out the attack in the months and hours before the incident.

“They weren't targeting anyone in particular, they just shot,” the prosecutor insisted, adding that the group of four shooters fired 50 shots within 20 seconds.

According to the prosecution, Price and Isaiah Murchison were linked to the murder vehicle through DNA evidence obtained from gloves left in a black Infiniti.

Prosecutors also argued that Michals demonstrated a sense of guilt in his search for the firearm in the days that followed, adding that several co-conspirators communicated about the attack in code to prevent law enforcement from eavesdropping on their conversations.

“Even if you're just a bad shot, you're still guilty,” she concluded, reminding the jury that even though a gunshot caused Wilson's death, all those involved in the conspiracy and recklessness can be found guilty.

The parties are scheduled to meet again on August 15.

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