Three Washington D.C. Men Convicted of Murder in 2021 14th Street Shooting

A D.C. jury found three men guilty of murder for a 2021 shooting that killed Delonte King and wounded others. Sentencing for the lead defendant is set for January 2027.

Three D.C. Men Convicted for Fatal November 2021 Shooting on 14th Street

Demonte Gibson, 28, Tre'Quan Nelson, 26, and Asani Forte, 29, all of Washington, D.C., were found guilty in D.C. Superior Court for a shooting on 3 November 2021 that killed 34-year-old Delonte King and injured several others, justice.gov announced.

Gibson was convicted of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, malicious destruction of property, and conspiracy. Nelson and Forte were each found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit murder while armed.

The verdict followed a retrial — a previous proceeding had ended in a hung jury in April 2025. Superior Court Judge scheduled Gibson's sentencing for 8 January 2027.

"Individuals who commit acts of violence against residents of the District have no place in our society," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said in the announcement. "Today's verdict takes violent offenders off our streets and contributes to a safer D.C. for everyone."

Shooting on 14th Street NW

At approximately 2:02 p.m. on 3 November 2021, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Third District responded to a reported shooting in the 2800 block of 14th Street, NW. They found King unconscious and breathing, with gunshot wounds to the head and back.

Shortly after, a second victim, 64-year-old Allen Hillyer, was located in the 2900 block of 14th Street, NW. Hillyer was conscious but had sustained a gunshot wound to the arm. D.C. Fire & EMS transported both men to area hospitals.

Two further victims, residents of the nearby Trinity Towers, were uninjured but reported damage to property after a bullet passed through a third-floor bedroom window. ShotSpotter technology did not initially alert to the incident but later determined that approximately 25 rounds had been fired from the reported location.

Surveillance Footage and Physical Evidence

Surveillance video captured all three defendants together, without masks, in the area of the shooting. A subsequent search warrant executed at Gibson's apartment yielded firearms, ammunition — including shell casings with head stamps matching those recovered from the murder scene, in .40 calibre — a ski mask, and purple jeans that investigators said appeared identical to clothing Gibson was wearing during the shooting.

Gibson was arrested on 27 February 2023, Nelson on 30 March 2023, and Forte on 25 April 2023. All three have remained in custody since their respective arrests.

The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, with Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll joining the announcement. Prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Erin DeRiso.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)