WASHINGTON - A 23-year-old District man, Antoine Washington, has been sentenced to 132 months in prison for the July 2007 shooting of two men as they sat in their parked car in Southeast Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today.

Washington received his sentence on Friday, November 7, 2008, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Robert I. Richter. On July 18, 2008, the defendant pled guilty to one count of Assault with the Intent to Kill while Armed and one count of Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence.

The government's evidence established that on July 11, 2007, at approximately 9:35 p.m., one of the victims was seated in his parked car in the 200 block of 37th Street, SE, Washington, D.C. Another individual was seated in the front passenger seat. While they were seated in the vehicle, the defendant began shooting at the car from across the street. The defendant fired approximately fourteen shots at the car, striking the first victim in his jaw, index finger, arm and shoulder. The second victim was not hit, but a bullet went through the hat he was wearing.

The shooting was a result of a fight which had started three days earlier, on Sunday, July 8, 2007, between the defendant and the first victim. The fight began over the defendant splashing water on the first victim. The defendant escalated the fight on Sunday when he chased the first victim with a butcher knife and broke into the victim's house and destroyed his wife's computer. Three days later, he then shot the victim multiple times.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor expressed his appreciation to the Metropolitan Police Department, and particularly praised the work of Detectives Chad Howard and Ucrania Paniagua. U.S. Attorney Taylor also commended the work of Legal Assistant Daphne Nelson. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessio Evangelista, who initially investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney George P. Varghese, who further investigated and prosecuted the case.