WASHINGTON — The man accused of shooting multiple people before killing a Metro worker appeared in court for the first time Tuesday. Isiah Trotman, 31, is accused of killing 64-year-old Metro employee Robert Cunningham, as well as shooting two other people at the Potomac Metro Station on Feb. 1.
Prosecutors allege Trotman was enrolled in a behavioral health program but was recently a no-show. His defense attorney did not enter a plea on his client’s behalf but claimed the Air Force veteran, college graduate, and IT professional, was not aware of the impact of his actions. In all, four people were held at gunpoint, two of them shot, one dead all in a matter of 15 minutes.
Trotman’s defense attorney rushed past reporters outside of DC Superior Court Tuesday just moments after his request to release his client on home confinement was denied by a judge. Trotman will remain behind bars until his next court appearance Thursday, February 16.
Prosecutors said Trotman went on a rampage the morning of February 1. Recently obtained court documents are giving new details into the deadly shooting.
(Editor's Note: Some of the details ahead can be considered disturbing. Please use caution when reading)
'You going to die with me today' | First Shooting on a Metrobus
The incident is believed to have begun on a Metro bus just after 9 a.m. in Southeast D.C. Detectives say that is where Trotman shot a rider in the leg as the bus arrived at the Potomac Avenue Metro Station.
The victim, only referred to as V-1 in court documents, told investigators they had just gotten off a phone call with a family member when a man on the bus said "get off the phone, you heard what I said." Prosecutors claim that man to be Trotman. The victim said they looked at Trotman as he took out a gun and pointed it at them. That is when the victim claims Trotman said "look me in the face, I'm a prophet, you going to die with me today. That last dude I shot earlier this morning was sitting in the same seat you was in."
Police investigated the claim and said there was no other shooting that had occurred on a Metro bus prior to the interaction.
V-1 told officers that as the bus was approaching the Metro station, other people began to get up and Trotman said "don't move, you think I'm playing?" Once the bus doors opened, the victim ran off the bus. V-1 heard gunshots but kept running, boarding a second bus before realizing they had been shot in the leg.
Officials included images from the CCTV footage of the incident. Officials say in the video, Trotman can be heard saying "you ready? You ready?" before the victim ran off the bus.
Second victim shot and dragged through the Potomac Ave. Metro Station
After leaving the bus, officials claim Trotman used an escalator to enter the Potomac Avenue Metro Station at 9:19 a.m., still armed with a handgun that he used to assault a second victim.
According to court documents, the second victim told detectives they were putting money on their fare card when Trotman walked up to them and pressed a gun to their leg.
CCTV footage reviewed by police reportedly shows Trotman walk up to the victim before raising a handgun and pointing it at them. Detectives say he then grabbed the victim by the neck and dragged them toward the turnstiles.
"As [Trotman] dragged [The Victim] towards the turnstile, he shot [The Victim] in the leg," court documents read.
The pair struggled briefly by the turnstile before Trotman allegedly grabbed the victim around the neck, trying to drag them through. The victim then complied and walked through the turnstile while Trotman reportedly followed closely behind with the gun in his right hand.
'I am God" | Third Victim on The Train Platform
Once on the train platform, officials say Trotman turned his attention to a third victim.
The third victim told detectives they were on the phone with a friend when Trotman walked up and told the third victim to get off the phone. After the third victim hung up, they claim Trotman threatened to shoot them and said "I am God." The victim told investigators at one point Trotman pointed his gun at the third victim's feet and said "don't f***ing bat your pretty eyelashes at me."
The second victim who had been shot in the leg told detectives they watched as Trotman pointed his gun at the third victim.
Detectives who reviewed surveillance footage, which had no sound, say the video shows Trotman showing a gun in his right hand.
'I'm a killer, and this is what I do' | The killing of Metro mechanic Robert Cunningham
While on the train platform, the second victim said "a man wearing a 'safety vest'" tried to subdue the situation. Officials say that man was 64-year-old Robert Cunningham, a Metro mechanic who was working at the time of the incident.
A witness told police that they had been waiting to board a train with Cunningham when they heard "a pop sound." Afterward, they saw a man walking down the escalator with his hands around the neck of another man. The witness claimed Trotman started yelling 'I'm a killer' before trying to talk to several people waiting for the train.
The witness told detectives Cunningham tried to wrestle the gun away from Trotman and that was when the Metro mechanic was shot.
The witness said after the shooting Trotman said 'I'm a killer, and this is what I do," before he stomped on Cunningham's chest.
Detectives say CCTV footage shows Trotman kicked and/or stomped on Cunningham at least three times as he laid motionless on the platform. He then paced around Cunningham's body.
The witness says they watched as a train pulled into the station and Trotman boarded, allegedly grabbing the second victim and saying "you're with me."
'Don't leave, don't run' | Metro passengers stop the violence
Court documents show that several people were riding in the Silver Line railcar when Trotman and the second victim boarded.
A fourth victim told detectives that the train pulled up to the platform as Trotman was kicking Cunningham's body.
The fourth victim explained to detectives during an interview that they hear Trotman say "don't leave, don't run" several times. When another man attempted to get up and leave the rail car, the fourth victim claims Trotman said "where do you think you're going?" causing the man to sit back down.
The fourth victim said Trotman then began to pace up and down the train car while ranting, saying things such as "Harriet Tubman was in the CIA" and "I am a veteran."
At one point, Trotman allegedly said he was not going to hurt anybody.
A short time later, the fourth victim says Trotman sat down in a seat near them and placed his gun on the seat next to him with his hand resting on it. That was when the fourth victim says they grabbed the gun and tried to run off the train, but Trotman reportedly tackled them.
During the struggle, the fourth victim says they dropped the gun on the ground and slid it further up the train and away from Trotman. The second victim then reportedly pulled Trotman off the fourth victim, who got up, grabbed the gun, ran off the train and hurled it across the platform, over a stopped train and onto the opposite track bed where it was later found by police.
The fourth victim went back to grab their things before trying to run away but was again allegedly tackled by Trotman. After Trotman was pulled off the victim again, they were able to get away.
Detectives say CCTV footage shows Trotman pointing and waving a gun on the railcar, preventing other riders from leaving.
"One passenger attempted to exit the train, the defendant pointed the handgun within a shot distance of the passenger's face," the court document reads.
The Arrest of Isiah Trotman
After the fourth victim threw the gun, officials say Trotman jumped onto the train tracks to search for it.
According to court documents, Trotman reportedly jumped back onto the platform a short time later and briefly paced about before walking toward the escalators.
Officials say that is when officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrived and stopped Trotman. After reviewing CCTV footage, speaking with witnesses and victims and investigating, Trotman was arrested.
According to court documents, prosecutors seek punishment for the following offenses:
- First Degree Murder while Armed
- Assault with a Dangerous Weapon
- Kidnapping while Armed x3
A Community Comes Together
Following the shooting, people began leaving cards and flowers at the station for the Metro mechanic who was killed while trying to protect others. Metro has set up a GoFundMe, which has raised more than $170,000 for Cunningham's family.
Metro Transit Police were stationed outside Cunningham's Silver Spring home Thursday morning, trying to shield his widow and four children. Neighbors say they're not surprised he stepped in when the rampaging gunman attacked a woman passenger. They say that's the kind of guy he was.