A roadside argument between childhood friends in Northeast Washington, D.C., ended in murder on the evening of April 4, 2021. Dontra Harris, 33, was shot multiple times in the back as he attempted to enter his apartment in the 1800 block of 24th Street, Northeast; authorities described the attack as an ambush and Harris was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say the dispute began with a verbal confrontation between Harris and longtime friend Jean Paul Kearney. After separating, Kearney returned to his home, swapped his motorcycle for his mother’s vehicle, waited at Harris’s building, then emerged and shot Harris. A search warrant at Kearney’s residence on May 13, 2021, prompted him to fire an AK-47 at officers before he was arrested; investigators recovered his cellphone after it was remotely wiped on his instructions.

Kearney was identified as the primary suspect and charged with second-degree murder while armed. Anyone who knew Dontra Harris or who has information about the shooting is asked to come forward.