District Man Pleads Guilty to Fatal Shooting of a 62-Year-Old Man

            WASHINGTON – Demarcus Barnett, 20, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed stemming from the shooting of 62-year-old Lasanta Qumar McGill, on June 8, 2023, in the city's Westminster neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            As part of his guilty plea, Barnett admitted that after being robbed by two individuals, he chased after them and fired wildly down the sidewalk. In doing so, he struck and killed McGill, an innocent bystander. Barnett will be sentenced on October 27, 2023, by Judge Maribeth Raffinan.  

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.