Teen Arrested in DC Woman's Murder

D.C. Police have arrested a 17-year-old gang member in the murder of a woman on 14th Street NW on Saturday night.

Investigators say Deborah Brown was walking home from work when she was hit by gunfire meant for someone else. Police say Devonte Carlton, a known member of the Girard Street crew, was firing at rival gang members when Brown was struck by a single bullet.

D.C. Police say Carlton was armed with a handgun, riding a bike down 14th Street when he noticed some gang members from a rival crew. Without thinking about who might be in the way, police say the teen opened fire, missing the gang members but hitting 48-year-old Brown once in the upper body.

Columbia Heights is a neighborhood in transition. Along with all the new businesses, condos and refurbished houses, the neighborhood beefs live on, and on Saturday night, Brown walked right into the middle of one of them.

It was a shooting witnessed by several people who gave police the name of the shooter.

"I want to commend those witnesses not only for their bravery in coming forward to assist us in closing this case, but for the undoubted crimes they have prevented by helping us bring this person to justice and stopping the cycle of retaliation," said D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier.

Earlier Tuesday, members of the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force found the teen at his father's home in Trinidad. He was arrested and taken to the department's violent crimes branch for questioning.

Deborah Brown had just left her job at Dunkin' Donuts and was walking to her home in Northwest Washington when she was killed. Outside the Dunkin' Donuts on Monday night, FOX 5 talked with one of her co-workers.

"I miss her and I know she watches over us-- I miss her a lot," said Nancy Soriano, Brown's coworker.

Although there have been a number of high-profile murders in the city in recent days, the murder rate is down considerably to a little over 20 percent. The homicide branch is closing over 70 percent of its cases, and that's well above the national average.

"We have made it very clear, when a senseless act of homicide occurs, we don't go home-- we go after you," said Chief Lanier. "We will find you and you will go to jail."