Rodney Baggott, a 58-year-old resident of the District of Columbia, was found guilty in U.S. District Court for the murder of Uber Eats driver Rasheek Abdullah. The incident occurred in 2024 near the Dupont Circle Metro Station and was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The federal jury took one day to deliberate before convicting Baggott on July 24 of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Judge Reggie B. Walton has scheduled sentencing for December 18, 2025.
Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood from the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Chief Pamela A. Smith from the Metropolitan Police Department joined in announcing the verdict.
Court documents revealed that on January 30, 2024, Baggott drove his white Mitsubishi Outlander to his girlfriend's office at a law firm in Dupont Circle. Around 4 p.m., after picking up his girlfriend, they drove to Connecticut Ave. and Q St., NW where an altercation with Mr. Abdullah ensued after he allegedly cut off Baggott’s vehicle. In response, Baggott shot Mr. Abdullah in the neck leading to his death.
Baggott fled with his girlfriend who later contacted an auto repair shop about distinctive damage on their vehicle—a key piece of evidence used by police to connect him to the shooting.
On March 2, 2024, Montgomery County Police stopped Baggott while he was driving the same vehicle and arrested him for illegal gun possession. The next day, law enforcement recovered the firearm used in the shooting at his girlfriend’s apartment; DNA evidence linked both individuals to it.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including ATF and MPD with support from Montgomery County Police Department and FBI Washington Field Office. Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Tepfer and Daniel Seidel along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.
