A drive-by shooting in Washington D.C. left nine people, including two juveniles, with non-life threatening injuries as they were celebrating Independence Day with their community, police say.
On Wednesday, July 5 shortly after 1 a.m., Washington D.C. metro police and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were dispatched to reports of shots fired at a townhouse within city limits.
Nine people were shot in a "targeted" shooting during a Fourth of July party in a Washington D.C. neighborhood. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Leslie Parsons, Assistant Chief of the Investigative Services Bureau at the Metropolitan Police Department, said in a press conference that authorities are searching for a dark-colored SUV following a preliminary investigation.
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Parsons said that the shooting was "targeted" and that the nine victims were outside celebrating the Fourth of July when the dark-colored SUV allegedly drove by, stopped, and began firing towards them.
" [The SUV] It stopped, and it fired shots in the direction of some of our residents that were outside just celebrating the 4th of July," Parsons' said. "It appears that the shooting was targeted towards those residents and victims that were struck."
Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons in the Metropolitan Police Department's Investigative Services Bureau gave an update on the shooting on Wednesday, Jul7 5. (DC Police Department via Twitter)
Police say two of the victims were juveniles – one was nine years old and the other 17 years old.
All victims, including the juveniles, were transported to a local hospital were they are being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Police encouraged witness to send any images and video that could assist police to Washington D.C. Metro police at (202) 727-9099. Any information provided could lead to a reward.