Gun battle crossfire: Man sentenced for killing bystander caught in the middle

WASHINGTON ( DC News Now ) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) sentenced a man Thursday for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and for his involvement in killing a bystander, caught in a shootout in 2021.

Jonathan Brown, 31, also known as “Tsunami,” pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and voluntary manslaughter while armed.

In late 2021, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the FBI started investigating violent crime and drug trafficking near 7th and O streets NW. Investigators found that Brown visited a stash house in the area on a regular basis.

According to court documents, Brown sold controlled substances, such as cocaine base and fentanyl with his co-conspirators on several occasions. Undercover officers were used to buy hundreds of grams of cocaine base and fentanyl from members of the trafficking group.

On July 31, 2021, at about 11:20 p.m., Brown was in a car with a loaded firearm in the area of 7th and O streets NW. A man in a grey Pontiac followed him and parked nearby.

Brown got out of the car and walked across the street to meet with a group of associates. As he was approaching the group, the man got out of the Pontiac with a gun in his hand.

Brown then pulled out a gun from his waistband and fired at the gunman, who shot back.

The group scattered and Brown and the man continued shooting at each other while taking cover behind trees and cars.

After the dust settled, police found more than 25 shell casings at the scene.

Kervin Sanches, Dean of Students at the Hope Community Public Charter School was part of the group standing on the corner when the shooting broke out. He was struck by a bullet as he tried to run.

He died at a nearby hospital.

Brown was sentenced to 180 months – 15 years – in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.

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