At least two men displayed weapons Tuesday during what police are describing as a gang shootout.
As of late Tuesday, two men had been taken into custody. Erick D. Butler, 20, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault. A 16-year-old male was also arrested. Charges against him have not yet been determined, police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said in a press release.
A shooting victim, also a man, was taken to Southwest Washington Medical Center. His injuries were not life-threatening; he was treated and released. He was described only as a male in his 40s, with police declining to release his identity at this point in their investigation.
Police responded around 7:15 p.m. to reports of shots fired in the 3700 block of East 18th St., Kapp said. Callers to 911 reported hearing several gun shots, Kapp said in the release.
They learned through interviews that two men displayed guns during an altercation and at least one of them fired several shots. A third man was struck.
A suspect was initially described as a dark-skinned man, about 20 years old, about 5 foot 9 inches, with a heavy build and tattoos on both arms.
An officer was heard over the emergency radio system saying three bullet casings were found in the area.
A neighbor told police he shot video on his cellphone of people running from the scene.
Police said detectives with the Safe Streets Task Force are continuing their investigation and want to talk to anyone who may have information on the incident.
The hospital went into lockdown mode because the victim was believed to be a “security risk,” said Southwest Washington Medical Center spokesman Ken Cole. He said employees were required to show badges, and families and patients were screened before entering the medical center.
The lockdown ended at about 10:15 p.m. when the patient was released.
