Authorities believe the shooting was targeted and is continuing to search for leads.
Why was 1-year-old Carmelo Duncan murdered? Authorities in Washington, D.C. are continuing to look for leads after the toddler was fatally shot while sitting in his father’s car in what investigators believe was a targeted shooting.
Little Carmelo had been in the car with his brother and father on Wednesday when someone in a black Mazda SUV with paper tags shot in their direction before speeding away, Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement.
The boy was rushed to the hospital but “all life-saving efforts failed” and he was pronounced dead, according to the FBI, who has since deemed the killing a homicide.
Authorities still have no suspects, and a reward of up to $60,000 is offered to anyone who might have additional information.
“That little baby had his whole life in front of him,” D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said in a press conference.
He added that he believes there is a chance the person who killed the boy has been arrested before, and he said he is certain the firearm used was illegally owned. Newsham reportedly added that the increase in illegal firearms in D.C. is what is leading to the 20% increase the city is seeing in crimes.
“This shouldn't be going on in no community,” local Kevin Dunmore, who hosted a community vigil over the weekend in Carmelo’s honor, told WUSA.
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