Chaos erupted Sunday night outside the “Moechella” music festival in Washington D.C. as gunfire broke out.
A 15-year-old boy was shot and killed, and a police officer was shot in the leg in the incident, according to the Washington Post. Two others were also reportedly treated at the hospital for gunshot wounds.
“It’s a shooting. You know, kids hitting the floor. An officer was standing next to me, he was shot, as well, in the leg,” witness Daniel Dyson told Fox 5 DC. “It bothers me to see this goes on here,” he continued.
Several hundred people gathered in the U Street area after the reportedly un-permitted event was promoted on social media, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said during a press conference. (RELATED: Rival Biker Gangs Engage In All-Out Shootout On Nevada Freeway)
Daniel Dyson witnessed the U St shooting after the #moechella festival. He says he was standing right next to the officer who was shot. A 15-year-old boy was killed, according to @DCPoliceDept. We’re live on @fox5dc at 11 pic.twitter.com/FQfhIDkzJP
— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) June 20, 2022
The injured police officer reportedly attempted to continue carrying out his duties, protecting those in the area and moving toward the gunfire, Dyson told Fox.
“He did not want to stay down. He proceeded on,” Dyson said. “It doesn’t matter which color is your race, what kind of uniform you’re wearing. It needs to come to a stop. And if it doesn’t, it’s going to be innocent kids dying every day because people don’t want to do this,” Dyson also said, according to Fox.
The Juneteenth celebration shooting was one of several shootings in Washington D.C. on Sunday, according to the Washington Post. A 16-year-old girl was killed during another, the outlet reported in another story.
No officers in D.C. discharged their weapons Sunday night, according to Contee.