Weekend shooting in Washington, D.C. leaves one dead and 21 hurt, including off-duty police officer

A teenaged father was killed, and a police officer is fighting for her life following a weekend shooting that left 21 people hurt, according to reports.

Shots were fired around 1 a.m. Sunday during a gathering in a residential neighborhood, according to WTOP news.

Octavia Brown told WTOP that her cousin, "Poppy" Christopher Brown, 17, was killed.

"He had not lived life and for him to have a 1-year-old … they just took my cousin away. This stuff has to stop," said Brown.

Washington, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said the off-duty officer who was shot has been with the police department for a year. She is "fighting for her life," he said.

"She's struggling for her life right now," he reportedly said. He added that "the rest of the gunshot wounds, as far as we know, are non-life-threatening."

Police initially said 21 people had been shot, but later determined one of the injured victims had not been struck by a bullet.

"We had a lot of people that were in a dangerous situation last night, and sadly several people who have no regard for human life opened fire," said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

In a statement on Monday, Councilman Vincent Gray, a former Washington, D.C. mayor, urged accountability both for the perpetrators and for those who convened the gathering amid the pandemic. 

"It is imperative that people are held accountable for wanton acts of violence and irresponsibility that not only threaten lives but result in people being maimed and left severely incapacitated," Gray said.

"This kind of lawlessness must stop, and I look forward to working with our civic and community leaders to put an end to this reckless behavior and to return order to our communities and neighborhoods."

Police have not reported arrests as of Monday morning.