A 31-year-old man is going through federal hate crime expenses in connection with a string of shootings in Washington, D.C., earlier this 12 months, by which two homeless males had been wounded and a 3rd homeless man was killed, authorities introduced Wednesday. The identical suspect can also be underneath investigation within the shootings of two homeless males in New York Metropolis, one in every of which was additionally deadly.
All 5 shootings occurred over a nine-day span.
Gerald Brevard III was indicted by a grand jury on 17 counts in reference to the D.C. shootings, the US Lawyer's Workplace for the District of Columbia mentioned. The fees embody first-degree homicide whereas armed, assault with intent to kill, aggravated assault whereas armed and a number of firearm offenses.
The indictment alleges that the assaults had been hate crimes "based mostly on the precise or perceived homelessness" of the victims.
The D.C. shootings occurred between March 3 and March 9. One of many victims, 54-year-old Morgan Holmes, died after being shot and stabbed, the U.S. Lawyer's Workplace mentioned in a information launch. A second man suffered "severe and everlasting" accidents, prosecutors mentioned.
Officers again in March mentioned all three D.C. victims had been sleeping once they had been shot.
Brevard can also be underneath investigation within the shootings of two homeless males in New York Metropolis on March 12. A type of males died.
Following a manhunt, a tip led authorities on March 15 to a gasoline station in Washington, D.C., the place Brevard was taken into custody.
All 5 shootings had been linked by firearms proof, prosecutors mentioned. Nevertheless, Wednesday's expenses don't embody the New York Metropolis shootings.
If convicted as charged, Brevard faces a most sentence of life in jail with out the potential of launch. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 18.