Multiple people shot in Southeast DC

WASHINGTON - Police are still searching for suspects after nine people were shot at a Southeast community event Saturday, two of them fatally.

Witnesses say there was a gun battle with innocent people, including a child, caught in the crossfire on Birney Place near the Barry Farm neighborhood.

The two people killed have been identified as 31-year-old Scorpio Phillips and 18-year-old Zoruan Harris, both of Southeast.

"I'm just shocked because they took a good person's life," said Phillips' cousin Lashawn, who asked to be identified only by her first name. "The person who would take their clothes off their back and give it to you."

National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter High School (National Prep) told FOX 5 in a press release that Zoruan Harris, was a recent graduate of the school.

The school also wrote that Harris was a father who held down two jobs while attending the University of the District of Columbia to earn his bachelor's degree.

"National Prep is completely devastated over the loss of one of our most esteemed leaders who did everything right and was in the right place (a positive community event) at the wrong time," said Jennifer Ross, Executive Director and Founder.

Police said an 8-year-old boy is among those injured, but that he was conscious and talking after the shooting. Witnesses say he appeared to have been grazed by a bullet.

Two women were hurt as well. Police said all seven people injured are expected to recover.

The shooting happened at an event known as 'Dorsey Day.'

"Just abruptly gunshots just filled the area," said Tiffany Curry, who was attending the event. "It was a lot of gunshots, at least 40 shots. And kids were running, kids got hurt, innocent people were hurt, it was a mess. It was world war three out here."

Several people told FOX 5 that it took more than 20 minutes for emergency workers to help victims.

On Sunday, D.C. Fire and EMS disputed the claims, saying two ambulances arrived by 8:35 p.m., meeting standards of arriving on scene within nine minutes of being dispatched. D.C. Police said they were dispatched to the shooting at approximately 8:23 p.m.

D.C. Police offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any D.C. homicide. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department's TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.