DC police fatally shoot armed woman in 'special police' uniform suspected of shooting neighbor

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A woman who was wearing a "special police officer" uniform is dead after being shot by a police officer in the nation's capital Saturday morning.

The dead woman is suspected of shooting a female neighbor in the arm, before officers were called around 6 a.m. to the 800 block of Crittenden Street Northwest.

"Special police officers" in Washington, D.C., are approved by the city to work for private companies as security guards. Some are approved to be armed. 

"Upon our arrival to this location, officers located a female – a victim who had been shot," D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said in a news conference. "Those officers rendered first aid to that victim. Simultaneously, other officers [who] responded to the scene encountered a female who was in a special police officers' uniform [and] armed with a firearm. That female was acting erratically."

Contee said the name on the special police officer uniform did not match the name of the woman who died.

Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee III speaks at a press conference with Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on March 15, 2022, in Washington, D.C.  (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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"That female was engaged by a police officer over the course of a minute, or so. During the course of that engagement, the officers asked the person to put down the firearm that she was in possession of. They ordered the person to the ground. Ultimately, the person [in the] special police officers' uniform was shot by a Metropolitan police officer. That person has now been pronounced deceased," Contee added. 

The woman in the special police officers' uniform was found by Metropolitan police officers on the porch of another residence belonging to someone unrelated to the incident, smashing its windows. 

Contee said it was not clear what her motive was, although it appears the women were familiar with each other. 

A firearm was recovered at the scene of a shooting in Washington, D.C., Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC)

"As we are working through this investigation, obviously there are a lot of things that we really have to get to the bottom of. We know, at this point, that the … female victim who was shot in the arm – she lives [on] the block. And, we know that this special police officer also lived [on] the same block. Metropolitan police officers rendered first aid to the special police officer as well. And, we are just combing through information right now to see, you know, really get to the bottom of this," he explained. 

The department is asking neighbors with information on the incident to call (202) 727-9099.

The female victim was shot at least once and Contee was not sure how many times the woman in the special police officers' uniform was shot. 

Police recovered a gun at the scene and Contee told reporters the department was not sure if the woman in the special police officers' uniform was licensed to carry it. 

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Notably, the name on the uniform was not the name of the deceased person, who had recently started in that position. 

"I want to extend my condolences to the family of everyone [who is] involved. We're actually dealing with the family of the deceased SPO at this time," Contee said. 

This shooting comes after at least four people – including a 12-year-old girl – were shot in Washington on Friday when a gunman opened fire shortly before 3:30 p.m. near the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness St. 

The shooting was recorded and posted online on 4chan, an online message board.

Metropolitan Police sprint up Van Ness Street Northwest toward the scene of the shooting on April 22, 2022, in Washington, DC.  (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The four victims – also including a 54-year-old man who is a retired police officer, a woman in her 30s, and a woman in her mid-60s who was grazed by a bullet – were all expected to recover, police said. 

The incident led to lockdowns at several schools and the suspected gunman was found dead Friday night inside an apartment. 

The authorities had tweeted that they were seeking a 23-year-old Virginia man, Raymond Spencer, as a person of interest in the shooting. 

The Metropolitan Police Department reportedly confirmed with FOX 5 that Spencer had taken his own life in a fifth-floor bathroom.

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Contee said Saturday that firearms increase the security risk that officers face. 

"Even in this situation, as unfortunate as it is, a lot more people could have been injured as a result of gunfire that happened [on] this block. I'm thankful that no other residents were injured as a result of that. And, I'm also thankful for the quick reaction and response from the Metropolitan police officers who responded to the scene," the chief noted. 

The Associated Press and Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.