An 18-year-old Northeast DC man turned himself into MPD Monday on a charge of first-degree murder.
In a press release Tuesday, MPD said the man, Malachi Hansan Hargrove, is suspected in the shooting death of 19-year-old Osman Al-Akbar. Al-Akbar was killed near Meridian Hill Park in August 2011.
Two others, in addition to Hargrove, are suspected in the case: an unidentified juvenile who was 15-years-old when he was arrested shortly after the shooting, and 19-year-old Rashid Caviness-Bey.
The juvenile has told authorities that he, not Caviness-Bey, shot and killed Al-Akbar. He said he and Caviness-Bey separated while walking down University Place in Columbia Heights the night Al-Akbar was killed. The juvenile did not tell Caviness-Bey what he was going to do, did not tell Caviness-Bey that he intended to commit a robbery, and did not know where Caviness-Bey was when he attempted to rob Al-Akbar.
According to charging documents in the case, Caviness-Bey and the juvenile had a “lengthy” conversation about the charges they were facing while being held in separate interrogation rooms before their arrests. According to the charging documents, Caviness-Bey encouraged the juvenile to tell authorities that the shooting was in self-defense.
Hargrove is expected to be presented with the charge at DC Superior Court Tuesday afternoon. Caviness-Bey was arraigned last week on a charge of felony murder, a charge of first-degree murder, a charge of robbery, and weapons offenses. He pled innocent to the charges and a status hearing is set for May.
MPD’s press release is below.
April 10, 2012
Additional Arrest Made in the Homicide in the 2600 Block of University Place, NW
(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that a third arrest has been made in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 2600 block of University Place, N.W.
On Wednesday, August 17, 2011, at approximately 1:39 am, units from the Third District responded to the 2600 block of University Place, N.W, to investigate the report of sounds of gunshots. Upon their arrival, they observed a male lying in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene and determined that the victim had no signs consistent with life. Subsequently, the victim was pronounced dead by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The decedent has been identified as 19-year-old Osman Al-Akbar of Northwest, DC.
Shortly after the shooting, Third District officers stopped two suspects in connection with the homicide. After further investigation by detectives from the Homicide Branch, a 19-year-old male of Northwest, and a 15-year old male of Capitol Heights, MD, were charged with First Degree Felony Murder while Armed and Carrying a Pistol Without a License.
On Monday, April 9, 2012 at approximately 11:15 am, 18-year-old Malachi Hansan Hargrove of Northeast, Washington, DC, turned himself in to detectives of the Homicide Branch. He was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder in the homicide of Osman Al-Akbar.
