David Gore Gets 7 Years for Shooting Man in Back

David Gore, 36, of Washington, D.C., opened fire with a handgun on a crowded Northwest street last year, unleashing 11 rounds into a group of unsuspecting people—all for no reason, prosecutors say. One man, attempting to flee, was struck in the back but survived. Today, Gore was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for the unprovoked attack.

The shooting unfolded at approximately 2:40 p.m. on May 16, 2016, in the 3700 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW. Surveillance footage and witness testimony show Gore stepping out of a car, opening fire without warning, then calmly returning to the vehicle and speeding off. The victim, whose name has not been released, was rushed to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the back. Miraculously, no one else was hit in the barrage.

Gore pleaded guilty in September 2016 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to assault with intent to kill and carrying a pistol without a license. The Honorable José M. Lopez handed down the seven-year sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors emphasized the brazen nature of the crime, noting that Gore attacked without provocation or justification.

According to evidence presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the shooting appeared to be a targeted act of violence rooted in personal hostility, though no motive was formally established. Investigators recovered shell casings at the scene and linked forensic evidence to Gore, who was arrested just weeks later on June 10, 2016. Ballistics analysis conducted by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and Sorensen Forensics helped seal the case.

U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, who announced the sentence, praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department for their swift investigation. He specifically recognized the Crime Scene Sciences Unit, Criminal Investigator Nelson Rhone, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Roman and Josiah Bournes for their roles in bringing Gore to justice.

The case underscores the persistent threat of gun violence in the nation’s capital, where random acts of rage can erupt in broad daylight. As Gore begins his prison term, the victim continues recovery, spared from death by luck as much as by medical intervention. The streets of Northwest D.C. remain on edge.

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