Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the shooting of a U.S. Park Police (USPP) officer in southeast Washington, D.C., on Monday evening. Darren Foster, 21, and Asheile Foster, 22, both from southeast D.C., were charged with assault on a federal police officer with a gun. The officer, who was investigating an ongoing USPP incident, was shot while driving an unmarked Tesla vehicle around 7:30 p.m. Two armed men allegedly approached the car and fired multiple shots, striking the officer in the upper body. The officer drove away and was later airlifted to a hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and subsequently discharged.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reported that the suspects may have known the victim was a police officer, though no motive has been officially disclosed. Authorities raided a home near the shooting location on Tuesday, and the case is being investigated by the MPD’s NIBIN Investigations Unit, which includes agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and USPP detectives.
Background and Context
The shooting occurred in the District's Southeast quadrant, close to the Maryland border. U.S. Park Police Chief Scott Brecht described the incident as an ambush, noting that the officer was targeted. Interim Washington Police Chief Jeffery Carroll condemned the attack, stating that no one should be shot for simply being in the neighborhood. Federal officials are assisting in the investigation, and the officer’s condition was confirmed as stable by multiple sources.
The case has raised concerns about law enforcement safety in the area, particularly given the officer’s unmarked vehicle. The USPP has jurisdiction throughout Washington, D.C., and the investigation remains ongoing.