Suspects in Saturday morning’s double shooting at a Valero gas station on Florida Avenue may have been returning from a homecoming party at Howard University when an encounter with others at the station turned deadly.
In charging documents associated with the case, police say witnesses described Justin Wilson and Reese William as being among a group of four people who went to the homecoming party then stopped at the gas station to buy cigarettes and a drink.
Wilson, in an interview with police, said Freddy Bernard Hawkins was behind him in line at the gas station.
“What up with ya’ll?,” Wilson said Hawkins asked. “Ya’ll got some money? Ya’ll got some pot? I smell it.”
Wilson told police he tried to ignore Hawkins but he said Hawkins began “pushing up on” him. “I’ll take ya’ll shit,” Hawkins said, Wilson told police.
Wilson told police Hawkins had something “bulky” in his waistband. Wilson said that when he grabbed for a handgun that he had on him, Hawkins took something out of his waistband.
Wilson said he shot Hawkins twice and might have shot another person at the scene.
Hawkins was found by police Saturday at approximately 1:14 a.m. at a Valero gas station on the unit block of Florida Avenue Northwest suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead; a second adult male victim was also injured.
While at the crime scene police observed a dark colored car fleeing fast from the scene. Police pursued the vehicle and found Wilson and Williams, along with two other individuals, inside the car. Wilson, 20, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed and assault with the intent to kill in connection with Hawkins’ death. Williams, 23, was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact in Hawkins’ murder.
According to charging documents, witnesses told police that Hawkins was shot by Wilson and was driven from the crime scene by Williams.
Wilson and Williams appeared in court Monday on the charges and were ordered held pending a preliminary hearing on Nov. 14 with Judge Herbert Dixon.
Charging documents have been added to this post below:
