William Spriggs

William Spriggs Jr., a man remembered by loved ones as funny and loving, was building a life in his native Washington, D.C. The 35-year-old Black man, who went by the nickname “Weedee,” was a father to two children and an alumnus of Eastern High School. His life, however, was violently ended on a late spring evening, leaving his family and community to mourn a future that was stolen.

The night of Wednesday, May 22, 2024, was shattered by the sound of gunfire in the 4800 block of Alabama Avenue, Southeast. At approximately 10:45 p.m., officers from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sixth District responded to reports of the shooting. When they arrived on the scene, they discovered William Spriggs suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate response from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Spriggs showed no signs of life and was pronounced dead at the location.

The investigation into the homicide was launched immediately by detectives from the MPD. In the days following the shooting, the department publicly identified Spriggs as the victim and appealed to the community for any information that might shed light on the circumstances of his death. The area on Alabama Avenue where the shooting occurred is in the Marshall Heights neighborhood, a community that has contended with instances of violent crime over the years. Police initially offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.

For several months, the investigation progressed without public announcements of a breakthrough. The police continued to seek assistance from the public, circulating information about the case and asking anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward. The uncertainty left Spriggs's family waiting for answers and for justice to be set in motion.

Then, nearly six months after the fatal shooting, detectives made an arrest. On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the Metropolitan Police Department took a suspect into custody. Pursuant to a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant, officers arrested 42-year-old Darvin Banks, a resident of Southeast, D.C. Banks was subsequently charged with First Degree Murder While Armed (Premeditated) in connection with William Spriggs's death.

A funeral service to celebrate the life of William Spriggs Jr. was held on Friday, June 14, 2024, at Not About Me Ministries in Temple Hills, Maryland, where family and friends gathered to honor his memory. The arrest of a suspect brought a significant development to the case, which had been an open and active investigation since May.

As of November 2024, the case against Darvin Banks is proceeding through the court system. The arrest marks a critical step towards accountability, though the legal process is just beginning. The Metropolitan Police Department continues to encourage anyone who may have information about this homicide to contact them. Tips can be called in to the police at (202) 727-9099 or sent via text to the Department's TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.