D.C. police have disclosed the identity of the individual who lost their life following an incident on Wednesday, involving an alleged attempt to evade U.S. Park Police officers, leading to a fatal exchange of gunfire. The deceased has been identified as Turell Delonte Campbell, a 30-year-old resident of Northeast D.C. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital on Wednesday after sustaining gunshot wounds in the 1100 block of M Street Northwest, as outlined in a police news release.
The encounter between Campbell and Park Police occurred in the vicinity of 12th Street and Massachusetts Avenue Northwest around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a statement from Park Police spokesperson Sgt. Thomas Twiname. Multiple officers were present at the location when Campbell was identified as a suspect in a “drug violation” within the jurisdiction of Park Police.
While details regarding the sequence of events leading to the fatal confrontation remain unclear, authorities confirmed that both Campbell and a pursuing Park Police officer were shot near the 1100 block of M Street NW. The specific circumstances of who fired first and the reasons behind the deadly pursuit are yet to be determined.
Sgt. Twiname stated on Wednesday evening that the manner in which the gunfire was exchanged would be elucidated through the ongoing investigation, including a review of available footage. A firearm, identified by the police as belonging to Campbell, was recovered at the scene of the shooting.
In their official statement, D.C. Police revealed that both the officer and Campbell were shot and subsequently transported to local hospitals. The officer is reported to be in stable condition, recovering from multiple gunshot wounds. The department has indicated its intention to release body camera footage pending a thorough review and investigation.