Shooter Gets Prison Sentence for Firing at a Couple Out Celebrating Their Anniversary

            WASHINGTON – Adrian Lee, 49, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 13 years in prison, for the shooting of two victims in April 2023 on Gresham Place, NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            A jury found Lee guilty, on September 24, 2024, of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with significant bodily injury while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction). In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt also ordered five years supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the victims were driving home after celebrating their anniversary at a DC restaurant when the defendant’s wife sideswiped their car. Lee walked to the accident scene and provided an expired insurance card to the victim. While the victim was on the phone with the insurance company, the defendant became agitated that the process was taking too long and directed his wife to drive away from the scene of the accident.  He too left the scene, running off on foot. When the victims followed the defendant to obtain valid insurance or vehicle information from him, the vehicle’s exterior video cameras captured the defendant running from the victims’ car. The victims flagged down a police officer, and, per the officer’s instructions, they returned to the site of the accident to make a police report. The victims then turned down Gresham Place, NW, to get back to the scene of the accident, and encountered Lee, who lived on that street. Lee retrieved a gun from his house and ran towards the victims.  He pointed the gun at the female victim and then turned and shot the male victim one time in the torso. Lee and his wife then fled to Florida.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Sara Matar, who prosecuted the case.