‘I Handed Her the Food and I Never Saw Her Again,’ Surviving Gunshot Victim Testifies About Neighbor’s Death

By
Allyson Nelles
– April 23, 2025
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A six co-defendant homicide, mass shooting trial continued before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on April 21. 

William Johnson-Lee, 22, Erwin Dubose, 30, Kamar Queen, 27, and Damonta Thompson, 28, are charged with conspiracy, two counts of premeditated first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and three counts of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, for their alleged involvement in the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 31-year-old Donnetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Braxton, and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner. 

Dubose, Queen, and Johnson-Lee each have nine additional counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Queen and Thompson each gave one additional count of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, and Johnson-Lee has two more counts on the same charge. Dubose, Queen, and Thompson also additionally charged with one or more counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. 

Dubose and Queen are also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and Dubose faces additional charges of premeditated first-degree murder while armed and tampering with physical evidence. Finally, Queen and Johnson-Lee each have an additional charge of carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. 

The incident occurred on the 600 block of Longfellow Street, NW on Sept. 4, 2021, and left three others suffering from injuries. 

Toyia Johnson, 52, and Mussay Rezene, 32, are charged with accessory after the fact while armed and tampering with physical evidence for their alleged involvement in assisting the other defendants get rid of the evidence and avoiding arrest for the crime.

During the hearing, prosecutors called on one of the surviving victims who lives on Longfellow Street, and shared that he had just grilled salmon and given a plate to a female neighbor, Dyson, whom he referred to as “Netta”

“I handed her the food, and I never saw her again,” he recalled of her murder.

According to the witness, he heard what he thought were gunshots, saw everyone ducking down and he took cover following their lead. He testified he suffered a gunshot wound to his leg, and spent the night in the hospital.

This witness was subpoenaed to testify for the grand jury, did not respond, and was arrested and held for seven days. According to the witness, that resulted in losing his job–something the defense mentioned in their cross examination to raise doubt about the organizational approach and efficiency of the prosecution. 

Multiple Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers testified about their experiences after arriving at the scene and handling the injuries and scattered evidence along Longfellow Street. The prosecution called a former sergeant, who stated that the scene was “extremely challenging” to manage.

During the cross examination, defense attorneys Michael Bruckheim, Peter Fayne, and Brian McDaniel raised doubt about the integrity of the investigation, mentioning the number of civilians that walked through the large crime scene seemingly uncontrolled. The defense claimed MPD failed to properly create a perimeter around the scene.

The prosecution also called three MPD officers to share their narratives of the crime scene and responses to victims’ injuries. One officer testified he treated a victim’s right leg with a gunshot wound, applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Another officer testified to his role of blocking off the crime scene in an effort to ensure no bystanders entered or exited. The final MPD officer was from a K-9 unit, and he testified he located different pieces of evidence after the shooting. 

Parties are scheduled to reconvene April 22.