DC man sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting two women near library

Jackson Knight was previously convicted of several felonies, including carrying an illegal firearm in 2013 and four counts of robbery and one count of an illegal firearm in 2016.WASHINGTON (CN) — A D.C. resident who was previously convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm and robbery was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday for committing two shootings near the Anacostia Library in Southeast Washington that injured two separate women.Joseph Knight, 32, had pleaded guilty on April 8, 2026, to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime, one count of aggravated assault while armed and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Knight to serve 120 months behind bars, with five years of parole to follow.Both federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Washington and defense counsel for Knight asked Contreras, a Barack Obama appointee, to impose the 120-month sentence.Knight had several prior felony convictions that should have barred him from owning a firearm, with a 2013 conviction for carrying a pistol outside a home or business and a 2016 conviction on four counts of robbery and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.On Sept. 18, 2024, Knight entered the library to charge his phone before leaving his phone to meet with another individual outside and paid her $5 to purchase boot, a synthetic stimulant. The pair began to fight, leading Knight to pull out a gun and shoot her seven times, in both of her legs and hands, then once again before fleeing.On Sept. 25, 2024, Anacostia Library security staff called the Metropolitan Police Department upon spotting Knight. When police arrived, Knight fled and dropped a bag containing his 9mm pistol, which had one round in the chamber and 17 rounds in the magazine.On Nov. 11, 2024, officers were called to the scene by another woman shot by Knight near the Anacostia Library, who said she was changing the locks to her front door when she got into an argument with Knight. The argument escalated and Knight pulled out his gun, pistol whipped the individual in the head and shot her three times, in the abdomen, ankle and the upper thigh. MPD officers arrested Knight on Nov. 15, 2024.In Knight’s sentencing memorandum, Marc Eisenstein of Washington firm Coburn & Eisenstein, said Knight would accept his sentence.“Mr. Knight understands that the situation he finds himself in is the direct result of his actions,” Eisenstein wrote. “It is our submission that he is not and should not be defined by his actions that led to his appearance before the court. Mr. Knight is prepared to seek the help he needs.”Eisenstein noted that Knight will be in his late 30s when his sentence is over and he will be “more mature” and will get the help he needs to address his “destructive decision-making and behavior that led to his appearance before the court.”U.S. Attorney for Washington Jeanine Pirro lauded the sentence in a press release.“Knowing full well he was barred from possessing a firearm, Joseph Knight shot one woman seven times and later shot another woman three times after pistol-whipping her,” Pirro said. “This defendant posed a grave danger to our community, and he is now headed where he belongs: prison.”The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the nation’s capital has staked a unique tone in their press releases compared to offices in other major cities like New York City and Los Angeles by providing more colorful details from local crimes.When compared to releases from the Southern District of New York, whose releases read similar to prosecutor’s motions and memorandums, the releases in Washington are written for the public eye.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads