2 brothers charged in shooting of U.S. Park Police officer in D.C.

Two brothers have been charged in the shooting of a U.S. Park Police officer in southeast Washington, according to prosecutors. The officer was hit in the shoulder and has since been released from the hospital.

Asheile Foster, 22, and Darren Foster, 21, both of D.C., were charged in connection with Monday’s shooting near Queens Stroll Place SE and 51st Street SE, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington.

Prosecutors said the brothers face counts including assault on a federal officer, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon and firearm charges tied to a crime of violence.

They made their first court appearances Wednesday, and a detention hearing was scheduled for Thursday.

According to court documents, the officer was sitting in an unmarked Tesla Model Y conducting surveillance on Asheile Foster after he had left the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility, where he had gone to retrieve personal property related to an arrest the previous day.

Authorities said the two men then approached the vehicle and fired several shots. At least one bullet struck the officer in the shoulder. Investigators recovered 32 shell casings at the scene, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The officer radioed for help and was flown by the U.S. Park Police aviation unit to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Police said Tuesday that he had been discharged.

During a search of the area, officers found a black backpack wedged in a fence. Inside was a Diamondback DB-15 AR-style rifle without a stock, loaded with 15 rounds of .300 blackout ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber, prosecutors said.

Police later took Darren Foster into custody and interviewed him shortly after midnight on Tuesday, according to prosecutors. Asheile Foster was arrested about 6:30 a.m. as he left a nearby residence.

A search of the home’s attic turned up a loaded Glock 19 9mm pistol with 17 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber, authorities said.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Park Police, ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Department of Forensic Sciences and the Metropolitan Police Department.