DC resident receives 10-year term for two library-area shootings

Joseph Knight, a 32-year-old D.C. resident with multiple prior felonies, entered a guilty plea on April 8, 2026, to two counts of unlawful firearm possession, one count of aggravated assault while armed, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced him to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Knight's offenses stemmed from two separate shootings near the Anacostia Library: the first on September 18, 2024, when he shot a woman seven times after a dispute over a synthetic stimulant, and the second on November 11, 2024, when he pistol-whipped and shot another woman three times during an argument.

He fled both scenes, discarding a 9mm pistol after the second incident, and was captured on November 15, 2024. Defense counsel noted Knight's acceptance of responsibility and his intent to seek help, while the U.S. Attorney for Washington praised the sentence as appropriate for a dangerous offender.