Woman dies in SE apartment triple shooting; teen arrested

WASHINGTON - Police say a woman has died and two teenage boys were injured in a shooting at a Southeast D.C. apartment. One of the boys has been arrested for the incident.

D.C. police say the shooting happened at around 3:48 p.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Congress Street.

Police Chief Cathy Lanier said a dispute between a 12-year-old boy and his 17-year-old neighbor led to the shooting. The 17-year-old boy went into the younger boy's apartment with a gun and the two teenagers and the 12-year-old's mother all suffered gunshot wounds.

All three victims were taken to the local hospitals. According to Lanier, the 12-year-old was shot in the arm while the 17-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the body. They were admitted in stable condition.

The mother, identified as 31-year-old Tenika Fontanelle, was transported in critical condition before she later died from her injuries.

One of the minors has been charged for first-degree murder while armed.

With another shooting involving a gun used by a juvenile, Chief Lanier and Mayor Muriel Bowser are urging residents to report any illegal firearms in the city.

"There is a tip reward program that you can pass that information onto us, remain anonymous, and still receive up to $1,000 if we confiscate these illegal firearms," said Lanier. "We have to get them out of the homes and away from access to these kids or we're going to keep coming on tragedies like this."

Fontanelle's death marks the 97th homicide in Washington D.C. this year.