RAYMOND Spencer is now “a person of interest” in connection to the Washington DC shooting rampage near a school that left four people injured, police say.
His picture was released on Twitter after a shooter, who is at large, opened fire near Edmund Burke School, injuring a juvenile and three adults, two of whom are in critical condition.
Assistant Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Stuart Emerman said: “We would like [Spencer] to come forward to the police, turn himself in so we may speak with him further as a person of interest.”
“His name came up through some of the social media things that we have seen so far,” Emerman said, after naming the 23-year-old Spencer from Fairfax, Virginia.
“We want to have a conversation with him, we want to figure out what’s going on, if he is involved in this or not in any way, shape, or form. We don’t know if he is in the area, we are working to determine if he is or is not.”
Cops in DC are also working to authenticate a disturbing video that appears to show the shooter firing multiple shots in the area in question but this clip has yet to be verified.
Read our Raymond Spencer live blog for the latest updates…
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Lockdown
The school remains on lockdown.
Police are in the school with the students and will alert parents when it is safe to begin the reunification process.
Officials are asking parents not to go to the school at this time.
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Searching for a suspect
Police are canvassing and going door-to-door in the area, including at apartment buildings in the area, as they urgently hunt for a suspect.
Officials said they have not yet authenticated the social media video that is circulating claiming to be from the incident.
They do, however, believe the gunfire was in the “immediate area” of the school but are working to confirm exactly what occurred.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has responded to assist DC Metro police. Secret Service agents have also deployed to the scene.
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‘Ran from the scene’
“Several people, naturally, ran from the scene after hearing gunshots and as the officers responded very quickly to the scene, as individuals were running, we did detain several individuals to determine their status,” officials said.
Officials added they do not believe any suspects have been detained at this time.
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Type of weapon used?
Police said they do not yet have an indication of the type of weapon used despite videos capturing the sound of the gunfire.
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‘No suspect yet in custody’
There is no suspect yet in custody and a motive for the shooting remains unknown as the investigation is in early stages.
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Hope and understanding’
The “hope and understanding is that they will survive,” DC officials said at a press conference.
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Unknown connection
The relationship between the victims, if any, is unknown.
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What did Washington DC Metro Police say about the shooting?
Washington DC Metro Police said two adult males and one juvenile female were injured in the shooting.
The two adult victims are in critical but stable condition.
The juvenile victim is suffering from a minor gunshot wound, officials said.
A fourth victim had been described as a mid 60s female who was shot in upper back, suffering from a graze wound, cops said.
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Sound of gunfire
Video captured the sound of the gunfire around 3.20pm near Edmund Burke School.
The gunfire led to a massive police response with officers escorting residents from nearby buildings, some running to safety.
The motive for the shooting is unclear.
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‘Person of interest’
A shooter opened fire near Edmund Burke School on Friday, according to police.
Cops said the shooter injured a juvenile and left two adults in critical condition.
A fourth victim has also been identified by cops.
“We would like him to come forward to the police, turn himself in so we may speak with him further as a person of interest,” cops said.
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Who is Raymond Spencer?
Police in Washington, DC, are looking for 23-year-old Raymond Spencer of Fairfax, Virginia.
Spencer is wanted in connection to the DC shooting rampage that left four people injured on Friday.
