Damon Dickens was 23 when he was fatally shot in Washington, D.C., on September 24, 2018. The shooting occurred in the 2500 block of Bowen Road SE while Dickens was visiting his grandmother’s home. Family members say they do not believe he was the intended target. He was reportedly walking to a store with another person when a group of five individuals approached and one person opened fire, striking Dickens in the chest.

Investigators identified a 17-year-old suspect, Jamal Blocker, after an unidentified person who had been with Dickens picked Blocker out as the shooter. Blocker was arrested and charged as an adult with first-degree murder while armed. On April 25, 2019, Blocker pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder while armed and was sentenced to 18 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release; he was to remain in a juvenile facility until transfer to an adult prison when appropriate.

If anyone was in the Bowen Road area that afternoon or has information about the group involved, please share what is known.