Maryland Man Found Guilty of Armed Assault on DC Streets

WASHINGTON – A jury has found 38-year-old Mercedes Edmonds, aka Marcedes Edmunds, of Baltimore, Maryland, guilty of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and additional firearms charges arising from a 2019 shooting in the 4000 block of Hayes Street NE, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The verdict was returned on May 14, 2024, following a three-day jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Edmonds was also found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a shotgun, and related firearms offenses. Following the verdict, the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld ordered that Edmonds be detained pending sentencing, which she scheduled for July 16, 2024. At sentencing, Edmonds faces a mandatory minimum term of five years of incarceration.

According to the government’s trial evidence, on May 1, 2019, Edmonds was standing with a group in the 4000 block of Hayes Street NE, and the victim was dropping items off at a nearby apartment. Apparently perceiving disrespect by the victim toward a member of the group, Edmonds retrieved a shotgun from his car and ordered the victim to leave the area. As he tried to leave, the defendant shot the victim twice, striking him in the leg. The victim suffered substantial blood loss and had to undergo emergency surgery to save his leg.

The Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case, with invaluable assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Bartz and Lauren Winer of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

The jury’s guilty verdict brings a measure of justice to the victim and his loved ones. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of firearms violence and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will continue to work tirelessly to combat violent crime and make our community safer.