WASHINGTON - A Superior Court jury has found Randolph Scott Harris, also known as Edward Harris, 45, guilty of Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Threats, and related firearms charges, based on conduct which occurred on March 30, 2008, at the Hart Middle School, located at 601 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today.

Harris, a previously convicted felon, was found guilty of the charges yesterday. The Honorable Robert I. Richter presided over the three-day trial. At sentencing, currently scheduled for April 20, 2009, the defendant faces a possible sentence of up to life imprisonment, with a mandatory-minimum sentence of 10 years.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on Sunday, March 30, 2008, the defendant went to the Hart Middle School (PSA 705) in Southeast Washington, D.C., armed with a loaded shotgun. The school was being used as a church that day. The defendant saw his estranged wife sitting in a vehicle, ran over to the vehicle with the shotgun, pointed the shotgun at his wife, and demanded that she open the vehicle. The estranged wife (who had previously been assaulted at gunpoint by the defendant five months earlier) refused to open the door.

At that point, the defendant walked over to the pastor of the church, pointed the shotgun at the back of the pastor's head, and walked the pastor at gunpoint to the vehicle. The defendant demanded that the pastor open the door to the vehicle and threatened to kill the pastor if the pastor did not open the door. When the pastor explained that he was unable to open the door, the defendant stepped back, racked the shotgun, ejected a round, and pulled the trigger. Fortunately, the weapon did not fire.

Thereafter, the defendant struck the pastor in the head with the shotgun, causing him to collapse to the ground. After striking the pastor, the defendant pointed the shotgun at two additional church members, as well as at a visitor, before fleeing the scene. Recovered from the flight path were multiple rounds of shotgun ammunition, the shotgun, a bag the defendant had used to conceal the shotgun, and the defendant's clothing. The police also recovered a roll of duct tape, and a duffle bag that contained a bullet proof vest and a sheet.

In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Taylor praised the efforts of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) lead Detective Arthur Reed, Detective Leondia Hunsucker, U.S. Attorney's Office Investigator Tommy Miller, MPD Officers Gregory Arrington, James Chastanet, Chris Dyke, Michael Swanda, and Rudolph Tyson, Evidence Technicians Ronald Royster, Melvin Evans, Trina Bruce, and John Allie, Fingerprint Examiners Barbara Evans and Lisa Lewis, William Gresham, of the MPD Photo Lab, and Firearms Technician Kevin Webster. He also thanked Aaron Meyers of the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office. Finally, he acknowledged the following employees of the U.S. Attorney's Office: Kimberly Smith, Tyrone Bowie, and Joseph Calvarese of the Litigation Services Department; Paralegal Jason Manuel, Legal Assistant Nicole Lee, Victim Witness Assistance Advocate Meshall Thomas, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys April Fearnley and Albert Herring, who prosecuted the case.