Todd Green | Homicide Watch DC

Suspects Indicted in "Gun Battle" that Killed Timothy Dawkins

Imari Williams — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:12:40 -0400

Darious Scales and Todd Green pleaded innocent Wednesday for the fatal shooting of Timothy Delonte Dawkins in August 2013.

A year ago, Dawkins was found in the 4200 block of 4th street Southeast lying face down on the walkway with a single gunshot wound to the back.

Scales was not shooting at Dawkins that night, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman said, but was involved in a gun fight with Green, who was arrested two days after Dawkins death.

Prosecutors have charged both men under the urban warfare theory, meaning they don't have to prove who fired the fatal shot, but that their actions played a role in the crime committed. The two rivals will be co-defendants.

Scales is charged with second-degree murder while armed, along with assault and weapons charges. For the second time, Green has been indicted with first-degree murder while armed.

Charging documents say video footage showed Green holding and aiming a firearm with an extended clip firing toward Dawkins and Green. During the shooting, an unarmed Dawkins tried to run away, but fell after he was shot. Scales, meanwhile, fired back at Green, and then took off running toward the back of an apartment complex, documents say.

A witness told police that it had seen Scales and Dawkins together that day in a black car, and it saw Scales with a gun. According to charging documents, it had several conflicts with Green, due to it's friendship with Scales. When the witness confided in Scales about the encounters, Scales said, "Don't worry about it. I'm going to handle that," documents state.

Both men are scheduled for a status hearing Dec. 12 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Robert E. Morin.

A copy of indictment documents are embedded below:

Second Suspect Held in the Death of Timothy Dawkins

Imari Williams — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 20:56:20 -0400

Judge Karen Howze ordered 20-year-old Darious Scales held Thursday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection to the August 2013 shooting death of Timothy Delonte Dawkins.

By all accounts, Scales wasn't shooting at Dawkins. Charging documents say Scales engaged in a shootout with Todd Green, who was arrested just after Dawkins death a year ago.

Prosecutors appear to be charging both men under urban warfare theory, meaning they don't have to prove who fired the fatal shot. Instead, they must prove that the parties involved:

were armed and ready to fight when a crime took place,
that they engaged in a gun battle,
that they did not act in self-defense,
that their conduct played a role in how the crime unfolded,
and that it was reasonably foreseeable that the death of an innocent bystander could occur during the course of a fight.

The two combatants will now be charged as codefendants for Dawkins' murder.

Police found Dawkins lying face down on the walkway with a single gunshot wound to the back in the 4200 block of 4th street Southeast.

Green was arrested two days after Dawkins' death on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the case.

An apartment's surveillance video showed two men appearing to come together and one of the men, later identified as Green, holding a firearm with an extended clip firing toward Dawkins and Scales, according to charging documents.

An unarmed Dawkins attempted to run away, documents say, but fell after he was shot. Scales, meanwhile, fired back at Green, and then escaped by running toward the back of the apartment complex, documents say.

At the time of the shooting, a special police officer spotted Scales running from the area after hearing a gun fire and positively identified Scales in a photograph, documents say.

According to charging documents, the officer stated it had consistent contact with Scales for three years.

Documents say a witness told police that it saw Scales and Dawkins together that day in a 2011 black in color Chrysler, and it saw Scales armed with a gun.

The witness said it had multiple confrontations with Green due to it's friendship with Scales, documents say. When the witness told Scales about the encounters, Scales said, "Don't Worry about it. I'm going to handle that," according to documents.

Scales is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 19 before Judge Robert E. Morin.

Charging documents are embedded below:

Todd Green Pleads Innocent in Timothy Dawkins Murder

Megan Arellano — Fri, 09 May 2014 20:24:31 -0400

Todd Green plead innocent Friday to six charges including first-degree murder in connection with the death of Timothy Dawkins.

The grand jury indicted Green on charges of first-degree murder while armed, armed robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying a pistol outside a home or business.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael Liebman said Friday that another suspect is expected to be indicted in connection with Dawkins's death in the next 60 days.

Officers found Dawkins dead from an apparent gunshot wound on August 21, 2013, in front of an apartment complex on the 4200 block of 4th Street Southeast. Detectives believe that Dawkins, a community activist, was caught in the fire of two other shooters.

Surveillance video from moments before the shooting showed Dawkins walking behind another man toward an apartment building. A third man walking toward Dawkins and the other man, holding a firearm, is seen firing the weapon in Dawkin’s direction.

The video then shows both Dawkins and the man running away from the shooter. On the video, the man fires back at the shooter and runs away while Dawkins falls to the ground, apparently shot.

Court documents say that an officer identified Green as the person shooting at Dawkins and the other man. Documents say the officer had seen Green numerous times and once served him with a barring notice.

Judge Robert Morin ordered Green held for a status hearing scheduled July 25.

Additional reporting by Kristian Hernandez.

An indictment has been added to this post.

Police: Timothy Dawkins May Not Have Been Target in Shootout that Left Him Dead

Ivan Natividad — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 15:02:44 -0400

A shootout at a Southeast DC apartment complex that killed community activist Timothy Delonte Dawkins may have had another target.

At a preliminary hearing Thursday, MPD Detective Michael Murphy testified that video captured by a surveillance camera at the apartment complex showed two men exchanging gunfire and Dawkins falling to the ground.

"They seemed to be shooting at each other," Murphy said. "I don't know if the decedent was the intended target."

One of those men, Todd Green, was ordered held Thursday after Judge Robert Morin listened to Murphy's testimony and found probable cause to believe that Green shot and killed 24-year-old Dawkins.

Dawkins was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound on August 21 around 7:00 pm in front of an apartment complex on the 4200 block of 4th Street Southeast. Three days later Green, 22, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with Dawkins' death.

Surveillance video shown in court Thursday showed Dawkins walking behind another man toward an apartment building moments before the shooting. A third man is seen walking toward Dawkins and the other man holding a firearm with an extended clip and firing the weapon in Dawkin's direction.

The video then shows Dawkins and the man running away from the shooter. Then the man fires back at the shooter and runs away. Dawkins falls to the ground, apparently shot.

Green was identified as a suspect after a police officer viewed the surveillance video, Murphy said. That officer identified Green as the man shooting in the direction of Dawkins and the other man. The officer had seen Green on a daily basis, and once served him with a barring notice, court documents state.

A felony status conference is scheduled for October 25.

An earlier version of this report identified the man walking near Dawkins as his "companion." A relationship between the men has not been established.

Todd Green Held in Connection with Timothy Dawkins Death

Megan Arellano — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:30:00 -0400

Todd Green was held Saturday after a magistrate judge ruled there is evidence to believe he participated in the shooting death of 24-year-old Timothy Delonte Dawkins. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 5.

On August 21, Dawkins was found dead in front of an apartment building in the 4200 block of 4th Street Southeast. Green, 22, was arrested last Friday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with Dawkins' death.

Charging documents in the case say surveillance video recorded a man holding a firearm with an extended clip firing towards Dawkins and a companion. Dawkins, who was unarmed, tried to run away, but fell after he was shot. His companion, meanwhile, fired back and then escaped by running toward the back of the apartment complex, documents say.

Though it is not clear who was first to shoot, the man with the extended clip was the only person shooting towards Dawkins, according to the documents.

A police officer who responded to the crime scene within five minutes of the shooting viewed the surveillance film and identified Green as the man with the extended clip. According to court documents, the officer has seen Green numerous times and once served him with a barring notice.

Charging documents are below.

Todd Green Gerstein (PDF)Todd Green Gerstein (Text)

Todd Green Arrested in Connection with Timothy Dawkins Murder

Penny Ray — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 10:23:51 -0400

A Southeast D.C. man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of 24-year-old Timothy Delonte Dawkins.

Dawkins was shot and killed last Wednesday in the 4200 block of 4th Street SE; he died on the scene.

Police arrested Todd Green, 22, Friday on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Dawkins' death.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.

Arrest Made in Homicide: 4200 Block of 4th Street, SE

(Washington, DC) – Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the homicide which occurred in the 4200 block of 4th Street, Southeast.

On Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at approximately 6:52 pm, patrol officers from the Seventh District responded to the 4200 block of 4th Street, Southeast for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located an unconscious adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and did not find any signs consistent with life. The decedent remained on the scene and was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, pending an autopsy.

The decedent is identified as 24 year-old Timothy Delonte Dawkins of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On Friday, August 23, 2013, at approximately 7:25 pm, patrol officers from the Seventh District and officers from the Seventh District's Redeployment Initiative, arrested 22-year-old Todd Green of Southeast, DC, pursuant to a District of Columbia Superior Court arrest warrant and charged him with Second Degree Murder while Armed in connection to the death of Timothy Delonte Dawkins.