WASHINGTON — Two people have died from two separate shootings in Northwest D.C. this week, and police are investigating whether they are related.
“We are exploring the possibility that the two are related, but at this time, we can’t say so for sure,” D.C. police’s Capt. Anthony Haythe said Thursday.
One deadly shooting took place around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Rittenhouse Street Northwest. Police found a man and a teen boy with gunshot wounds in an alley. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment; the man had injuries that were not life-threatening but the teen was pronounced dead, police said.
Police have identified the teen as 16-year-old Yoselis Regino Barrios, but did not say who the man was. No arrests have been made at this time for this shooting.
In the other fatal shooting, which happened around 11:50 p.m. Wednesday in the 5400 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest, a man was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds inside a business, police said. Police have identified him as Jonathan Vilchez, 22, of Northwest D.C.
The suspect was found a few blocks away in the 800 block of Kennedy Street Northwest with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Police have identified him as Mario Alfaro, 23, of Northwest D.C. He was taken to a hospital where he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed.
In addition to seeing if they are connected, police are also looking into the possibility that both cases may be gang-related.
WTOP’s Mike Murillo contributed to this report.
