Dispute over leaf blowing ends in gunfire in DC, officials say. Man is convicted
An argument over leaf blowing turned violent in Washington, D.C., and now a man has been found guilty in connection with assault and other charges, officials said.
Lawrence Murphy, 52, of Washington, D.C., is set to be sentenced in June after a jury convicted him of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in an April 7 news release.
Murphy’s attorney declined to comment in an April 8 email to McClatchy News.
An entrepreneur who worked in groundskeeping was blowing leaves in an alley March 2020 when “Murphy became upset, alleging the victim was blowing leaves towards his house,” officials said.
Murphy yelled at the groundskeeper and threatened “to kill him if he did not blow the leaves away,” according to officials. Then, Murphy is accused of shooting the man, “causing injuries to his wrist.”
The groundskeeper reported that “the suspect produced a small dark colored revolver” and shot toward him at least once, hitting him in the wrist, police said in an affidavit. The man “continued to berate him regarding the leaf debris before” going back into the house, the groundskeeper told police, per the affidavit.
Murphy was captured on camera footage leaving out the back, officials said, and was arrested about 1 ½ hours later after he returned to the scene.
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