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Three men plead guilty in death of 11-year-old boy, fourth pleads not guilty

Davon McNeal was shot and killed by a stray bullet while on his way to a community anti-violence cookout.

WASHINGTON — Three men face years in prison after pleading guilty in connection to a Fourth of July shooting that took the life of 11-year-old Davon McNeal.

The deadly shooting happened in Southeast D.C. on July 4, 2020. Davon McNeal was shot and killed by a stray bullet while on his way to a community anti-violence cookout. The boy was hit after a group fired shots in his direction, D.C. police said.  

According to the United States Attorney’s Office D.C., Daryle Bond, 20, Marcel Gordon, 26, and Christan Wingfield, 24, pleaded guilty for their part in the shooting. Bond will face seven-and-a-half to nine years in prison, Gordon was sentenced to 10 and Wingfield faces a nine-and-a-half-year prison term. 

A fourth defendant is still awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges while armed with aggravating circumstances, conspiracy, and other offenses. That defendant has pleaded not guilty. 

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Prosecutors say Bond, Gordon, Wingfield and the fourth man were standing at a barbecue near the cul-de-sac in front of an apartment building on Cedar Street SE. 

Also on Cedar Street, 11-year-old Davon was getting out of a car and walking toward a basement apartment in the Frederick Douglass Garden Apartment Complex at the same time. 

Prosecutors say the fourth man started running nearby and started firing his gun. Gordon, who was running behind the man, fired his gun in the same direction. Bond and Wingfield were also armed and ran in the area as well. 

Surveillance footage shows that Davon was hit by gunfire while he was running toward the basement apartment.

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According to the U.S. District Attorney's Office D.C., the four men ran toward a playground with their guns drawn following Davon's death. 

Bond, Gordon and Wingfield were all arrested within months of the shooting. Metropolitan Police Department's then-chief Peter Newsham said all four men have gun-related criminal histories, and two of the men were on probation, with past felony charges, at the time of the murder.  

WATCH NEXT: Honoring the life of 11-year-old Davon McNeal

One man wants to help honor the life of Davon McNeal by helping others.

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