Three D.C. Men Found Guilty of Murder for November 2021 Shooting

WASHINGTON - Demonte Gibson, 28, Tre'Quan Nelson, 26, and Asani Forte, 29, all of Washington, D.C., were found guilty today in D.C. Superior Court, related to a shooting on November 3, 2021, that killed 34-year-old Delonte King and injured several others, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

"Individuals who commit acts of violence against residents of the District have no place in our society," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "Today's verdict takes violent offenders off our streets and contributes to a safer D.C. for everyone."

Gibson was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed, one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of malicious destruction of property, and one count of conspiracy.

Nelson was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit murder while armed.

Forte was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit murder while armed.

This is a retrial as the case resulted in a hung jury in April 2025. Superior Court Judge scheduled sentencing for Gibson on January 8, 2027.

According to the government's evidence, at approximately 2:02 p.m., on November 3, 2021, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Third District responded to the report of a shooting in the 2800 block of 14th Street, NW. Upon arrival, the members located an adult male victim, Delonte King, unconscious and breathing, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to the head and back. Shortly thereafter, a second adult male shooting victim, 64-year-old Allen Hillyer, was located in the 2900 block of 14th Street, NW. Mr. Hillyer was conscious and breathing but suffering from a gunshot wound to the arm. District of Columbia Fire & EMS units were summoned to the scene, and both victims were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

Later, two additional victims, who were not injured but suffered destruction of property, were inside their home when a bullet came through a third-floor bedroom window, located in Trinity Towers, right up the street from the shooting location. ShotSpotter did not alert to this incident, but later provided that approximately 25 rounds were from the reported location. Surveillance video showed all three defendants congregating together without masks in the area of the shooting and eventually, the defendants were arrested for the shooting spree. A search warrant of Gibson's apartment uncovered guns and ammo (including head stamps that match some of the head stamps on shell casings found at the murder scene - 40 caliber) they also found a ski mask and purple brand jeans that appear to be identical to the ski mask and the jeans worn by Gibson during the homicide shooting.