A District man pleaded guilty Monday to shooting and killing a bystander as the man was trying to gun down his alleged robbers.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said Demarcus Barnett, 20, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the June killing of 62-year-old Lasanta Qumar McGill. Barnett is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 27.

Barnett admitted to firing wildly at two people who he said robbed him on June 8 in the 1900 block of 7th Street NW, with one of the errant bullets striking McGill outside of a deli. He later died at the hospital.

D.C. police Commander James Boteler said immediately after the incident that the shooting stemmed from a “dispute” between at least three men by the front door of a deli. The argument escalated into Barnett drawing the weapon and catching McGill in his gunfire.

“We believe [McGill] had just been somebody who was out in the block.” Mr. Boteler said at the time.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.