Michael Dakernu Dennah, 24, of Beltsville, faces attempted murder charges in connection with the May 5 shooting in the parking lot between the Amigos Mexican Grill and a Longhorn Steakhouse restaurant, in the 13600 block of Baltimore Avenue. Two people were also stabbed that night at that location in a separate incident.

Before the violence broke out, police had been called to the shopping center about a large group gathered outside the Mexican restaurant.

鈥淎 party under two tents there had grown quite large; we became concerned with the impact the event was having on the greater area,鈥� Laurel Police Chief Russell Hamill said.

Hamill said police, who were already monitoring the party, saw a fight break out and decided to shut it down early.

Police said two men and a woman were shot during the altercation and treated by officers at the scene.

鈥淭hey came from around the back of the building and ran right into it, in order to help save those people,鈥� Hamill said of police officers on the scene.

Police identified the alleged shooter using video , as well as by speaking to witnesses and using forensics analysis.

He faces three counts of first-degree attempted murder, three counts of second-degree attempted murder and at least three firearm related charges.

Dennah remains at large, according to police, who are asking anyone with information to call the Laurel Police Department 301-498-0092 or email the Laurel Police Tip Line. Police are also asking for and are warning residents to consider Dennah armed and dangerous.

WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.

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On Saturday, the 21st annual National Asian Heritage Festival, also known as , will shut down most of Pennsylvania Avenue NW with dragon and lion dances.

The event is free and attendees are advised to take public transportation or alternative types of transit.

On Saturday from 1 a.m. to 10 p.m., the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking:

• 4th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Madison Drive NW
• 6th Street between C Street and Constitution Avenue NW
• Constitution Avenue between 6th Street and 3rd Street NW
• Constitution Avenue between 7th Street and 3rd Street NW
• Pennsylvania Avenue between 6th Street and 3rd Street NW

On Saturday, from approximately 2 a.m. to 10 p.m., the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:

• 4th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Madison Drive NW
• Constitution Avenue between 7th Street and 3rd Street NW
• Pennsylvania Avenue between 7th Street and 3rd Street NW

Sixth Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue NW may be closed to vehicle traffic if deemed necessary due to public safety and traffic mitigation decisions.

that some buses will detour due to the street festival.

The following bus routes will detour:

• D10 Pennsylvania Avenue eastbound toward Southern Avenue:聽Buses begin detouring on 13th Street, NW at E Street, resuming regular route on Pennsylvania Ave, SE at 6th Street.
• D10 Pennsylvania Avenue westbound toward Kennedy Center: Buses begin detouring on North Carolina Avenue, SE at Pennsylvania Avenue, resuming regular route on 13th Street, NW at G Street.

The following day, two events coincide on the National Mall, all the while closing streets and restricting parking.

George Washington University’s graduation commencement will take place between 15th Street and 17th Street. The event is an event earmarked for America’s 250th anniversary; it will take place on the National Mall between 7th Street and 14th Street NW.

On Sunday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking:

• Constitution Avenue from 15th Street to 14th Street NW
• Madison Drive from 4th Street to 14th Street NW
• 7th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue SW
• Jefferson Drive from 4th Street to 14th Street SW
• 12th Street from Madison Drive to Constitution Avenue NW

On Sunday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:

• 15th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 12th Street from Madison Drive to Constitution Avenue NW
• Madison Drive from 7th Street to 14th Street NW
• Jefferson Drive from 7th Street to 14th Street SW

On Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:

• 15th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue (southbound only)
• 7th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
• Madison Drive from 4th Street to 7th Street NW
• Jefferson Drive from 4th Street to 7th Street NW
• 12th Street Expressway (Tunnel)

On Sunday, the following street may be closed intermittently for public safety:

• 14th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW

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Maurice Williams, a school bus driver in D.C., claimed the first top prize on a $5,000,000 LUXE scratch-off. He had used his $50 winnings from a previous LUXE scratch-off ticket to buy a new one the next day.

In a Williams said he didn’t know he had won until he scanned the ticket: 鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy because the matching number was 59 and I just turned 59 the other day.鈥�

Williams said he sat in shock for a while before calling his mother.

He said he plans to buy his mother a house with the winnings and then save up.

Two more top prizes from the scratch-off have yet to be claimed, the Maryland Lottery said, as well as nine $200,000 prizes, 10 $50,000 prizes and thousands of prizes ranging from $50 to $10,000.

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City officials said they suspended the restaurant’s use and occupancy permit and ordered the business closed as of Friday. The city found the restaurant misrepresented its security plan and its use of space related to the Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Three people were shot and two were stabbed near the premises, at 13600 Baltimore Ave., around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police responded to complaints about a large gathering in the area and were monitoring the celebration when a fight broke out and officers decided to shut down the event early.

Police said two men and a woman were shot during the altercation, and then a separate domestic dispute led to the stabbing of two adults in the restaurant parking lot.

鈥淭he safety of our residents, visitors, and businesses remains our highest priority,鈥� Mayor Keith Sydnor said. 鈥淭he City of Laurel will continue working with our public safety and regulatory partners to ensure accountability and compliance with all City requirements.鈥�

Shon Juan Cook Jr., 26, has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault in the stabbings, according to online court records. An image of the suspected shooter has also been released.

Police have asked anyone with information on either incident to call the department at 301-498鈥�0092 or send an anonymous tip to聽LPDtips@laurel.md.us.

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The show’s cold open from New York was set in what was identified in the sketch as Martin鈥檚 Tavern in Georgetown.

The sketch made light of allegations of excessive drinking involving three Washington figures:
FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. All three men have publicly denied the claims referenced.

Patel was played by actor and comedian Aziz Ansari, Hegseth was played by ‘Weekend Update’ co-anchored Colin Jost, and Kavanaugh was played by actor Matt Damon, who hosted the episode.

In a social media post, “Saturday Night Live” called the sketch “A Secretary of War, a Supreme Court Justice, and an FBI Director walk into a bar.”

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According to police, the vandalism occurred around 3 a.m. Saturday, and three individuals were seen leaving the school, at 3336 Gold Mine Road, around that time.

The graffiti was spray-painted on a wall and the side of the school building’s roof, police said.

It comes amid a spate of similar hateful incidents in the county targeting the Jewish community, according to Guila Franklin Siegel, chief operating officer at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.

Siegel told WTOP’s Kyle Cooper her agency has seen an uptick in reported incidents “beginning in January, but really accelerating after the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.”

“The reasons for this skyrocketing of antisemitism are manyfold,” Siegel said, adding that American politics have fostered “a culture and an environment where hatred can be more freely expressed and where groups are pitted against one another, and there is targeting of minority populations.”

“I think schools are a place where culture wars are often played out. I think we are dealing with a younger population that lives its life online, so they’re much more susceptible to those messages of hatred. And they know when they are targeting schools that it’s going to get a lot of attention,” she added.

Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the individuals .

鈥淪uch hate has no place in our schools or our state, especially as we begin Jewish American Heritage Month,鈥� Gov. Wes Moore wrote in . 鈥淥ur administration is working closely with local authorities to combat this hate and stomp out antisemitism in all its forms.鈥�

Police are also asking anyone with information to submit a tip online or call 1-866-411-8477. Tips with information that leads to an arrest may be eligible for a reward up to $10,000 and tipsters can remain anonymous.

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The morning rush brought the bulk of the rainfall and any remaining showers should be isolated, according to 7太子探花 Chief Meteorologist Veronica Johnson.

“The majority of the rain with this latest weather maker behind us, we received about a tenth to a quarter of an inch,” Johnson said.

For the rest of the day, the wet weather isn’t expected to be widespread.

“Any storm that does develop may contain some brief gusty winds and heavy downpours,” said 7太子探花 First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin.

Wind gusts may range between 25-30 mph.

Rudin called the rain a much-needed blessing as the D.C. region is still under drought status.

Overnight lows are expected to fall into the 50s.

Thursday starts cooler and cloudy; there’s a lingering chance of rain through the early afternoon. Skies are expected to gradually clear by the late afternoon, with highs only reaching the lower 60s.

Sunshine returns on Friday, with low humidity and comfortable temperatures around 70 degrees.

The Mother鈥檚 Day holiday weekend with be warm yet cloudy.

Saturday will bring highs in the 70s, with morning clouds and a chance of showers or even an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon. Sunday starts sunny, but clouds return by the afternoon, with highs in the 80s and a chance of showers by Sunday evening.

• Listen to WTOP online聽and on the radio at 103.5 FM or 107.7 FM.
• Current traffic conditions
• Weather forecast
• Closings and Delays: DC-area schools make decisions for Monday instruction
• Sign up for WTOP email alerts
• Get custom alerts with the WTOP app for聽听补苍诲听听辫丑辞苍别蝉

7太子探花 First Alert Forecast

WEDNESDAY: WEATHER ALERT
Rain likely, breezy; isolated PM thunderstorm
Highs: 70-75
Winds: Southwest 10-15, Gusts 25-30 mph

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:
Cloudy, scattered showers
Lows:听50-55
Winds: North 5-10 mph

THURSDAY:
Cloudy & cooler
Showers Possible
Highs: 60-65
Winds: North 5-10 mph

FRIDAY:
Mostly sunny
Highs:聽Around 70
Winds: West 5-15 mph

Current conditions

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From 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, the following streets will be closed:

• D Street NW, between 3rd Street and 4th Street
• Indiana Avenue NW, between 4th Street and 5th Street
• 4th Street NW, from E Street and Indiana Avenue

During the same time, “Emergency No Parking” restrictions will be in effect on:

• D Street NW, between 3rd Street and 4th Street
• Indiana Avenue NW, between 4th Street and 5th Street

The from across the D.C. region and will be held at D.C. police headquarters, located in front of the Daly building, near Judiciary Square.

A map of the area is below:

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The festival is happening Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m., and dozens of nearby businesses will be offering discounts for the occasion, according to . Tents set up in the area of the festival, which spans a large area but is anchored by 18th Street from Florida Avenue to Columbia Road, will be giving out wristbands for access to discounts at nearby establishments.

That stretch of 18th Street will be closed to parking and vehicle traffic from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, D.C. police said.

The is available online, and the festival has something for everyone, with bands and acts spanning a wide range of genres.

Organizers are asking attendants to avoid driving, if possible, and to either walk, bike or use public transportation instead. The closest Metro stop to the event is the Woodley Park/Adams Morgan station on the Red Line.

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The public is invited to “In Full Bloom: A Community Celebration of Renewal” at the church on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. To attend, .

Guests will have the opportunity to hear the church’s 2,660-pipe Holtkamp organ, listen to singing in the church’s new choir rooms, enjoy kid-friendly activities in the “Forever Garden,” eat a light lunch and visit with the church’s pastors.

The church, established in 1854, is Arlington鈥檚 oldest church that is in continuous use, according to its website. A fire in October 2022 disrupted the church’s operations and caused around $1 million in damage.

A short program at 3 p.m. will be held to celebrate the church’s 170th anniversary.

The church’s sanctuary and preschool wings were not significantly damaged by the fire, which started in the church attic above the music and education wing.

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Officers responded to the church, in the 4900 block of Ox Road, Thursday around 10 a.m. for a reported burglary.

In Fairfax County police said 30-year-old Akuamoa Boateng had broken a rear sliding glass door to get into the building, damaging and stealing more property once inside.

During their investigation, detectives also learned a vehicle owned by the church had also been stolen.

Shortly after the burglary, police received a license plate reader alert for that stolen vehicle and responded to the 7900 block of Ladson Lane in Hybla Valley. Officers quickly found the vehicle and identified Boateng as the driver, according to police, who found additional stolen items from the church inside the vehicle.

Boateng is charged with burglary, auto theft, larceny with intent to sell, felony destruction and drug possession. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County jail.

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Investigators are taking a closer look at the response by law enforcement officials and how it unfolded so close to one of the city’s most tightly secured events. Authorities are also working to build a clearer picture of the accused shooter and the path he took to make his way to D.C.

The president was uninjured in the incident as he was rushed off the stage after shots were heard. The armed man was arrested and is expected to appear in court Monday.

Details released in the case indicate the man was a guest at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was being held, and that he had traveled by train from California to Chicago before traveling on to the nation’s capital.

WTOP National Security reporter J.J. Green said while D.C. events are heavily secured, the correspondents’ dinner was not on the White House grounds, meaning there could be some outside elements that put events like this one at risk.

“It’s an event that’s outside of that bubble that is the White House grounds,” Green said. “This is a high security area anyway on a daily basis. 鈥� It’s not hard to raise the security profile for a place like the Hilton, because there are many, many events that take place there and where the president is.”

He said there are at least three “concentric rings” of security for major events like Saturday night’s that involve the president.

“But there’s always the possibility that someone could show up outside of the outer ring, so to speak, and do something like what we witnessed last night,” Green said.

However, some things, even with tight security, are hard to control.

“The interesting thing about that is, no matter how tight that security is inside those rings, when someone does something like this outside of those rings and approaches the rings, there’s going to be a situation where people simply go, ‘Oh, my God. How did this happen?’ And it makes people wonder about whether or not there was security,” Green said.

Green said the answer to that question is that it absolutely was a highly-secured event.

“There was big, great security. But there’s also what happens outside of that ring that can certainly raise the concern that that’s sort of filtering out across Washington and the world today,” he said.

Who is the accused shooter?

Two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation identified the accused shooter to The Associated Press as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. Investigators have not publicly named the suspect.

Green said investigators are now looking into the man’s background.

“They’re looking into his writings. They’re looking into his postings, all of his connections, the people he knows, the places he’s gone and anything they can to help them develop a motive,” he said.

And because he showed up to the scene heavily armed with multiple weapons, they’re looking into whether he had been trained for attacking a high-profile event such as Saturday night’s dinner.

“They also want to know about training background and also who he might have been involved with that might have helped him with this kind of activity,” Green said.

What did the shooter have planned?

Green said the investigation will not only include who the shooter was, but also why he was there.

"There's this question as well that lingers in many people's minds was the president, was a certain number of people targets or was it a mass casualty-type event?" he said.

Green said one of the fears in the aftermath of the incident is the possibility for "copycat scenarios," adding that the Secret Service is looking to put a stop to those well in advance by looking at the accused shooter's motive.

"It's always important to look at what they've learned from it so that they can prevent things, perhaps, like this from happening in the future," Green said.

The Associated Press and WTOP's Valerie Bonk contributed to this report.聽

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