A D.C. man was convicted of assaulting his wife, a pastor and church members with a shotgun at a middle school in Southeast Washington. After a three-day trial, 45-year-old Randolph Scott Harris, aka Edward Harris, was found guilty Monday of assault with intent to kill, assault with a dangerous weapon, making threats and related firearms charges. Harris faces up a lifetime sentence with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
Pastor Ricardo Payne, Harris’ estranged wife and another church member were talking in the parking lot when they saw Harris stride across the school basketball court carrying a shotgun, according to police records.
The wife, a pharmacist, jumped into the passenger side of a GMC Denali and shut the door. The SUV belonged to a bodyguard she had hired because she feared for her life, according to evidence revealed at trial. Payne and the bodyguard ran behind the sport utility vehicle, police reports said.
As part of our executive protection training at ASI Consultants & Associates, our students are taught when planning, they must complete a threat analysis in order to determine the degree of caution and additional security measures that may be necessary. This is done by the E/P Agent getting to know the client well in advance of taking on the assignment.
Harris pointed the shotgun at his wife and demanded that she open the door to the SUV. Using the butt of the weapon, Harris then struck the front windshield, and the driver’s-side and passenger windows. The glass cracked but did not break. Harris then pointed the gun at Payne and threatened to kill the pastor if the he did not open the door.
When Payne explained that he didn’t have the keys, Harris stepped back, pointed the loaded shotgun at the back of the pastor’s head and pulled the trigger. Payne heard the gun click, but it did not fire, police said. Harris then turned his gun at the bodyguard, but the guard was able to escape, prosecutors said.
