WASHINGTON, D.C. – Derrick Gladden, a 55-year-old resident of the District, has been sentenced to 96 months in prison following a serious shooting incident that occurred in April 2024. The sentencing took place in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, as announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On March 11, 2026, Gladden was found guilty of multiple charges, including aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. In addition to his prison term, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt mandated that Gladden complete five years of supervised release upon his release from incarceration.
The incident unfolded on April 15, 2024, around 2:15 p.m., when the victim, Christopher Seward, was on the patio of a friend’s apartment located in the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE. Following a confrontation related to a money dispute, Gladden shot Seward in the chest. Fortunately, due to the timely intervention of the Whole Blood Program, which had just been launched that month, Seward received a blood transfusion in the ambulance and survived the life-threatening injury. Tragically, Seward passed away from cancer in April 2025 before he could testify in court.
Following the shooting, law enforcement was able to quickly identify Gladden as the shooter based on Seward’s account. An emergency search warrant was executed at Gladden’s residence, resulting in the discovery of ammunition that matched a casing found at the crime scene, along with firearms accessories. Furthermore, a neighbor’s Ring camera footage captured Gladden fleeing from his apartment shortly after the incident.
U.S. Attorney Pirro, alongside Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department, praised the investigative efforts of the officers involved in the case. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Eliot Folsom and Natalie Anderson in prosecuting the matter, emphasizing the importance of community safety in Washington, D.C.
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