Del Ray Triple Shooting: Man Gets 23 Years In Prison

ALEXANDRIA, VA—An Alexandria man will serve 23 years in prison for the Del Ray shooting that injured three people. David Palmer, 18, of Alexandria had pleaded guilty in November to three counts of malicious wounding and three counts of use of a firearm in the commission of malicious wounding.

He had been sentenced to 73 years with all but 23 suspended with 10 years of supervised probation and 20 years of good behavior as conditions.

Palmer had been 17 at the time of the July 27, 2017 shooting but was tried as an adult, given the nature of the crime. According to police, Palmer showed up to a home in the 300 block of East Howell Avenue and made threats against the resident, who was not home. He waited on the porch for the resident to come home.

When that resident returned home with two other people in a car, Palmer walked up and opened fire. He shot about 15 rounds into the car, and all three victims were struck with at least one bullet each. The driver was shot in the face, and the bullet fractured bones in the victim's face before exiting the head. The other two were hit in the arm and back, respectively.

Police say Palmer continued to shoot at the car even as it crashed into a parked car. The three victims, aged 19, 21 and 49, went to the hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Palmer had fled from the scene but was later arrested by police.

The shooting happened a little over month after a gunman opened fire at a congressional baseball practice in Del Ray's Eugene Simpson Stadium Park.

"This case, in which a violent felon brazenly placed lives at risk during broad daylight, caused a quiet neighborhood to be shaken by sudden violence," said Commonwealth's Attorney Bryan Porter in a statement following the sentencing. "Compounding the fear was the timing of these crimes, coming just a month after the unspeakable horror of the Simpson Field shooting that occurred just blocks away. I am thankful that the gun play in this case did not result in more serious injuries or death."

Image via City of Alexandria