D.C. Fugitive Task Force Apprehends Suspect in Late 2025 Southeast Social Gathering Shooting

Dontae Carthens, 26, was arrested by a fugitive task force for an ADW (Gun) charge related to a shooting in Southeast D.C. in late 2025.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 5:34 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)

Resolution to December Social Gathering Violence

A months-long investigation into a winter shooting in Southeast D.C. reached a breakthrough this week with a successful arrest. On March 10, 2026, members of the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force executed an arrest warrant for Dontae Carthens, a resident of Southeast. Carthens has been formally charged with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Gun) following a shooting incident that occurred late last year.

Escalation of Verbal Dispute

The charges stem from an incident on Sunday, December 21, 2025, in the 700 block of 51st Street, Southeast. According to MPD reports, Sixth District officers were dispatched to the area at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of gunfire. Investigators determined that a verbal argument had broken out between the suspect and an adult male victim during an outdoor social gathering. The dispute escalated when the suspect produced a firearm and shot the victim.

Victim Recovery and Evidence Gathering

Following the shooting, the victim managed to flee the scene in a vehicle and transported himself to a local hospital. Fortunately, his injuries were classified as non-life-threatening, and he received treatment shortly after the encounter. MPD detectives spent the following weeks gathering leads and forensic evidence, eventually securing a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant after identifying Carthens as the primary suspect.