Shortly before 9:00 p.m. last night (Monday, March 29, 1999) a Metropolitan Police detective was forced to exchange gunfire with a suspect in the unit block of Q Street, NW.

Two homicide branch detectives were canvassing the unit block of Q Street, NW for witnesses relative to an ongoing investigation. It was at this time that they observed a black male on a bicycle open fire on several people that were standing in front of #52 Q Street, NW. The suspect then began riding eastbound on Q Street where he encountered the two detectives and began to shoot at them. One of the detectives was able to return fire before the suspect fled the area. It is not known if any of the detectives rounds took effect and neither detective was injured.

Moments later the detectives went to aid two males who had been shot while standing in front of #52 Q Street. One of the victims, who had been shot in the chest, was taken to Howard University Hospital and pronounced dead. He has been identified as 18-year-old Stoney Ferrell, of the unit block of Florida Avenue, NW. The second victim was shot once in the leg and was treated and released from a nearby hospital. The names of the detectives and second victim are being withheld because they are witnesses in this case.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the department's Crime Solvers Unit at 1-800-673-2777. All calls are confidential and a caller need not give his or her name. If the information provided by a caller leads to an arrest and indictment, the caller will be eligible for a reward of up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.