A man accused of attacks on five homeless men in both D.C. and New York City has been indicted by a grand jury.
In one of those attacks, a man inside a burning tent along New York Avenue was killed.
The indictment includes 17 charges against Gerald Brevard III, 31, a resident of the District. Among the charges are first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, mayhem while armed, in addition to multiple firearm offenses.
The attacks in D.C. took place between March 3 and March 9. Brevard is also accused of shooting homeless men in New York City soon after the attacks in the District. The indictment is only for the three attacks that happened in the nation’s capital.
The first attack took place early on March 3, along New York Avenue in Northeast D.C., when a man was found suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds. The second attack was on H Street during March 8, where a man was found suffering from gunshot wounds.
The final attack, on March 9, claimed the life of Morgan Holmes, 54. Police found Holmes shot and stabbed inside a tent that had been set on fire.
Brevard is also believed to be behind two shootings, one fatal, in New York on March 12.
An Instagram account and phone number found helped police identify Brevard, and place him in both D.C. and New York at the time of the shootings. He was arrested on March 14.
The grand jury, according to the United States Attorney’s Office, also claimed that the attacks were bias-related hate crimes because they targeted homeless individuals. That charge could lead to more prison time for Brevard if he is convicted.
The grand jury also charged Brevard with “aggravated circumstances,” because it found the murder was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel. A conviction on this charge could come with a maximum prison sentence of life begin bars without the possibility of parole.
Brevard, who has been held without bond since his arrest in March, will be arraigned on the new charges Oct. 8 in D.C. Superior Court.
