Man gunned down in Northeast DC; surveillance video shows victim, another person before shooting

WASHINGTON - Police are continuing to investigate the shooting death of a 20-year-old D.C. man in Northeast D.C.

Randall Francis was shot in the head at around 1:49 p.m. on Monday in the 1800 block of Benning Road. A second person was also wounded and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to D.C. police.

Shop owners in the neighborhood say surveillance cameras captured Francis inside a shop wearing a red bandana before the shooting happened and that the video shows a person in a hoodie and coat hurrying after Francis before he runs back down the street.

D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham says officers patrol this area of Benning Road often and were close by during Monday's shooting.

"It was a brazen act of violence," he said. "Took a young man out of our community unnecessarily. We have been making significant progress in the case. We intend to find the person that is responsible and hold him accountable."

Francis was a model, photographer and 2016 graduate of Eastern High School in the District.

Since September, there have been at least five violent shootings or stabbings between the 1500 and 1800 blocks of Benning Road. They include a deadly stabbing, three deadly shootings and another shooting where four people were hurt.

Overall, Francis became the 148th murder victim in the city this year.

Now, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Kathy Henderson is calling for more police intervention in her neighborhood.

"A young man who was full of promise, a young man who went to church every Sunday and [his life was taken] over something ridiculous," she said. "That cannot be allowed to go unaddressed."

Henderson is calling on D.C. politicians to give police the latitude to clean up the block.

"What we really need is for the mayor and the council to step up to expand the incommoding legislation to give them the opportunity to keep this street clear," said Henderson.

A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in Francis' murder.