The suspect was accused of killing a woman before boarding the bus.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — D.C. police are investigating a homicide and officer-involved shooting after a woman was killed on Wisconsin Avenue NW and the accused gunman was fatally shot aboard a Metrobus Tuesday morning.
The case moved from a sidewalk shooting scene to a public bus within minutes, putting passengers, officers and transit police in the middle of a fast-moving response. Police said the woman killed was 44-year-old Melissa Wallace-Pulliam of Northwest Washington. The suspect was identified as 44-year-old Shawn Dewayne Williams of Southeast Washington.
Second District officers responded at about 7:11 a.m. to the 3500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW. Police said Wallace-Pulliam was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead after emergency crews tried to save her. Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said witnesses gave police a description of the suspect and said he had boarded a Metrobus after the shooting.
Officers stopped the bus near Wisconsin Avenue and Upton Street NW, several blocks from the first shooting scene. Police said officers boarded and started clearing passengers. Carroll said officers then encountered Williams and ordered him not to reach into a bag. Police said Williams brandished a handgun, and officers fired after he pointed the weapon toward them.
Williams was fatally wounded on the bus. Police said his firearm was recovered at the scene. Carroll said the gun had an extended magazine. A few passengers remained aboard when shots were fired, but officials said most had already been evacuated. No officer injuries were reported.
The shooting drew a response from several law enforcement agencies. Metro Transit Police helped at the scene, and U.S. Secret Service officers also responded. Maurice McKinney, a deputy chief with Metro Transit Police, said the agency has increased patrols on buses through a mix of uniformed, plainclothes and virtual patrol efforts.
Police described the first shooting as domestic-related. Carroll said investigators believe Wallace-Pulliam and Williams had been in a prior domestic relationship. He also said the case was part of a broader concern about domestic violence in the Second District, where officials have handled other high-profile incidents this year.
The officers who fired were placed on administrative leave, which MPD said is required by department policy. The Internal Affairs Bureau’s Force Investigations Team is reviewing the use of force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will conduct an independent review of the evidence, including witness accounts, recovered evidence and body-worn camera footage.
As of Wednesday, police had not released the officers’ names or a full timeline of the bus stop and shooting. The next major step is the release and review of evidence under D.C. law as investigators continue separate reviews of the homicide and police shooting.
Author note: Last updated June 17, 2026.