DC Man Sentenced In Shooting Incident That Left Victim In A Wheelchair

WASHINGTON, DC — A D.C. man who pleaded guilty in December to shooting a 41-year-old victim, leaving them paralyzed from the chest down, was sentence to 9 1/2 years in prison, according to court documents.

Robert Erkhart, 41, pleaded guilty last December to aggravated assault while armed and a related firearms offense for the Feb. 23, 2021 shooting that occurred in a parking lot behind a building in the 2100 block of I Street, Northeast, authorities say.

The plea deal was contingent on the court agreeing to a prison sentence of 96 to 138 months for Erkhart. Judge Juliet J. McKenna accepted the plea on Friday in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Following the completion of his prison sentence, Erkhart will be placed on five years of supervised leave.

On Feb. 23, 2021, the victim approached Erkhart's vehicle in the parking lot behind Erkhart's residence. The two had a previous disagreement and an argument ensued, culminating in the victim asking Erkhart to get out of his vehicle and fight, according to authorities.

At approximately 10 p.m., Erkhart exited the vehicle and shot the victim, who is now paralyzed from the chest down and requires wheelchair, according to court documents.

Erkhart has been in custody since he was arrested on March 5, 2021.