D.C. police investigate killing of woman found in car with children

A woman was fatally shot Thursday evening in Northeast Washington, and with her in a vehicle were two toddlers, ages 1 and 2, in the back seat, D.C. police said.

Officers located the woman, who was unconscious and not breathing, in the 1800 block of Benning Road just after 6 p.m., said Officer Sean Hickman, a police spokesman. Police said it appears the shooting occurred a short distance away, in the 700 block of 18th Street NE.

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The woman was taken to a hospital, where police said she died. Authorities identified her as Deshaun Cupid, 30, of Northeast Washington.

The children were unharmed, Hickman said.

A police spokesman said investigators do not know if the victim was targeted. But the spokesman said detectives believe the vehicle she was driving was.

Cupid’s sister, reached on Friday, said the family was not ready to talk publicly at this time.

Thursday’s shooting was at least the fourth time this year that a person has been killed in the District in front of children:

On March 4, Sedrick Miller, 42, was fatally shot while holding hands with a 5-year-old and carrying an infant in a car seat.
In February, Pamela Thomas, 54, was fatally struck by a stray bullet while riding in the back of an SUV with her 8-year-old son.
In January, police said a gunman shot 27-year-old Sierra Johnson in a vehicle on Georgia Avenue in Northwest Washington while her 2- and 4-year-old children were in the back seat.