Judge Lori Parker ruled today that there was enough evidence to hold James Brown in connection with the death of 22-year-old Darnell Rivers, in what detectives believe was a kidnapping attempt that turned into a shootout.
Brown, 23, was arrested Thursday afternoon and charged with first-degree murder while armed.
According to arrest documents, several witnesses helped police piece together what occurred on that Saturday evening.
Detectives believe that Rivers and another man, Javon Hale, had kidnapped Brown’s brother Tony at gunpoint in the vicinity of 51st Street and Astor Place Southeast on December 29, 2012. Hale and Rivers forced Tony Brown into the rear passenger side of a vehicle — but did not search him — and then sped off, according to documents in the case.
As the alleged kidnappers drove away, Brown suddenly pulled a gun and shot Rivers.
Hale shot back, striking Tony Brown in the face. Brown returned fire, striking Hale in the wrist, the documents say.
Rivers crashed the vehicle into a tree in the 5000 block of Ayers Place Southeast; Hale and Tony Brown both fled the scene.
Arrest documents say that a few minutes later, a witness saw James Brown approach the crashed vehicle on foot and fire several shots into Rivers’ body.
Rivers died on the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police found a blood trail that led south from the crashed vehicle through the 5000 block of Ayers Place Southeast; a second blood trail led east towards 51st Street.
Several 9mm and .40 caliber shell casings were recovered from the scene, along with a .45 caliber pistol and a .38 special revolver containing five spent cartridges in its cylinder.
Two days later, a search warrant recovered a Kel-Tec 9mm semi-automatic firearm from Brown’s apartment; technicians concluded that the 9mm casings recovered from the scene were fired from that gun.
Hale was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping earlier this week. He’s expected for a preliminary hearing Feb. 8 with Judge Robert Morin. Brown is expected for a preliminary hearing in the same courtroom at the same time.
The MPD press release and charging documents are below.
Arrest Made in Homicide: 5000 Block of Ayers Place, SE
(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 5000 block of Ayers Place, Southeast.
On Saturday, December 29, 2012, at approximately 7:47 pm, DC Housing Police responded to the area of the 5000 block of Ayers Place, SE for the report of the sounds of gunshots. During a canvass of the area they discovered an unresponsive adult male inside of a vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and determined that the victim had no signs consistent with life. He was later pronounced dead by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Two additional adult male victims, who sustained apparent non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, were later located at a local hospital.
The decedent is identified as 22-year-old Darnell Rivers of Southeast, Washington, DC.
On Thursday, January 31, 2013, at approximately 5:14 pm, 23-year-old James Brown of Southeast, DC, was arrested by officers of the Sixth District pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant charging him with First Degree Murder in the shooting death of Darnell Rivers.
###
Police Officer Araz Alali
Metropolitan Police Department
Executive Office of the Chief of Police
Office of Communications
Main: 202-727-4383
Desk: 202-727-2662
Please follow us on Twitter.com @DCPoliceDept
araz.alali@dc.gov
