Fight Over a Hat Yields Prison Term for Chinatown Stabbing

            WASHINGTON – Tanade Warsame, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to a total of 66 months in prison for a knife attack during a fight in May 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Warsame was found guilty in September 2024, after a jury trial in Superior Court. The jury found him guilty of one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, an offense he committed while on release in another matter. Warsame also pleaded guilty to one count of contempt. On June 27, 2025, Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe sentenced Warsame to 48 months for assault with significant bodily injury while armed, 12 months for committing that offense while on release, and 180 days for contempt. In addition to the prison term, Judge Pipe ordered Warsame to serve five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on May 4, 2024, Warsame and the victim agreed to a fist fight over a hat. During the fight, Warsame produced a knife in his hand and made multiple striking and slicing motions toward the victim. The victim was stabbed three times. Notably, prior to this incident, Warsame had been ordered to stay away from Chinatown in a previous case.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jasmine Dohemann and former Assistant United States Attorney Katelyn Benton.