Deonte Patterson, a 29-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, along with several other charges. These charges stem from the August 2021 shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on 9th Street NW. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Patterson was also convicted of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and obstructing justice. The jury's verdict was delivered following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan has set the sentencing for May 30, 2025, where Patterson faces a potential life sentence.
The evidence presented by the government detailed that on August 23, 2021, around 2:24 a.m., officers of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department heard gunshots near 9th and T Street, N.W. Upon searching the area, they found Ali Al-Mahdi in front of 1822 9th Street, N.W., suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite being transported to Howard University Hospital, Al-Mahdi was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m. Witness accounts and surveillance footage placed Patterson at the scene of the shooting, and it was revealed that Al-Mahdi was shot while attempting to reach his car.
Following the shooting, a car crash occurred at 9th Street and Massachusetts Ave N.W., with a vehicle overturning several times. Patterson and a firearm were ejected from the car during the crash. DNA evidence linked the firearm to Patterson, and the weapon matched the 40 caliber casings found at the shooting scene. Additional casings were linked to an unknown weapon, likely used to return fire on Patterson's fleeing vehicle. The defendant's firearm was discovered in a fanny pack in the backseat of his car. Notably, Al-Mahdi had previously shot Patterson in 2019, resulting in Al-Mahdi's conviction and imprisonment.
Patterson managed to evade capture for a year after an arrest warrant was issued in January 2022. He was eventually apprehended on January 5, 2023. While in custody, Patterson attempted to influence the investigation by instructing his girlfriend not to speak through several phone calls.
The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Tamara Rubb.
