More News

The family of Marcel Dessin, of Washington, D.C., held a vigil Nov. 24 marking the one-year anniversary of his death, after he was shot and killed in Capitol Heights.

Dessin, 22, was shot Nov. 24, 2008 in the 6800 block of Central Avenue, after driving back with two friends from a concert at Capitol Heights' Le Pearl Ballroom.

Dessin's mother, Tanya Jones, and father, René Dessin, who is a Metropolitan Police Department detective, said they hope the anniversary vigil, held in the same block where their son was shot, will encourage any witnesses to come forward.

"Whoever did it is still out there," Jones said. "We don't know the reason why this happened or anything."

Police were unaware of any altercation taking place at Le Pearl Ballroom prior to the shooting and have no description of the suspect's vehicle, according to Officer Evan Baxter, a Prince George's County police spokesman.

Dessin's passengers, childhood friends from Alice Deal Middle School in Washington, D.C., were injured when Dessin's vehicle struck a fire hydrant after the shooting.

Jones said county police are doing the best they can with what information they have.

"I know somebody had to see something," Jones said. "I know there are people driving in front of him and behind him. They had to have seen something."

Police ask anyone with information about the shooting to call 1-866-411-TIPS.

E-mail Natalie McGill at nmcgill@gazette.net.