Man Found Shot Dead Just Off Campus; Homicide Investigation Underway
Photo courtesy of WJLA.
By Patrick D. Lewis
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducts an investigation after a man was found dead from gunshot wounds just feet from campus on Monday, July 29. The victim is not believed to have any connection to CUA.
At 7:52 pm, D.C. Fire and EMS personnel responded to 4th St., NE, and Michigan Avenue, NE, the intersection at the entrance to the National Shrine, for reports of an injured person who had fallen off a moped. When an ambulance crew and police arrived they found a man with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body, according to an MPD spokesperson. The victim was pronounced deceased by medical personnel on the scene.
The shooting led the campus Department of Public Safety (DPS) to issue a “shelter in place” order for campus while police searched the area for suspects. The alert was announced via CUAlert at 8:23pm and was lifted at 9:45pm. No suspect description or other lookout information has been released.
MPD identified the victim as 38-year old Ruben Jesus Munoz-Romero, a resident of Takoma Park, Maryland. A search of court records did not return any criminal records for the name. His family told WUSA that he was working as a food delivery driver when he was killed. Police have not said whether the killing was targeted.
Police said in a press release that the shooting did not occur at the scene nor “the immediate area of Catholic University’s campus.” Police added that they believe the victim rode the moped to the area after being shot elsewhere and collapsed when he was on Michigan Avenue along the edge of campus. They have not said whether they have found the location where the shooting itself occurred. A police spokesperson said in an email Tuesday that finding the original scene was still part of the investigation.
A spokesperson for the university said in an email that campus police officers responded to the scene once notified of the incident by bystanders. The spokesperson also confirmed that no part of the investigation occurred on campus property.
CUA President Peter Kilpatrick issued a statement to the community late Monday night. The statement read, in part, “Please join me in praying for the soul of the victim who lost his life, and offer our prayers and our sincerest condolences to his friends and family. We do not believe the victim has any connection to Catholic University.”
President Kilpatrick also said the Dean of Students Office, Office of Campus Ministry, and Counseling Center would be on hand to provide services to members of the community in the wake of the tragedy.
The executive board of the Student Government Association released a statement via Instagram. The statement said, “Please join us together in solidarity to mourn the loss of the victim who tragically lost his life yesterday evening on Michigan Avenue. Our prayers are with the victim and his loved ones. As we enter the new Academic Year, SGA remains committed to continuing our efforts to ensure the safety of our community. Please know that we are available to meet with undergraduate students who may have questions or concerns regarding SGA’s advocacy efforts and student resources on campus.”
The National Shrine did not respond to a request for comment.
The shooting comes just over a year after Maxwell Emerson, a teacher from Kentucky visiting D.C. for a conference, was shot and killed on campus during a robbery attempt on July 5, 2023. The suspect in that shooting is awaiting trial. The university has suffered several other homicides and shootings in its immediate area since last July as well, including the murder of the manager of the popular BGR restaurant on Monroe Street later in July 2023. BGR closed earlier this year.
Anyone with information should contact the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099 or text the tip line at 50411. Anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a suspect is eligible for a reward of up to $25,000. The case number for the incident is 24116337.
