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Mother’s shooting death in DC sparks search for child, who was found with her suspected killer

Police said shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday that 2-year-old Royce Hawkins was found unharmed. An Amber Alert that had been issued earlier Wednesday morning has been canceled.

D.C. police cruisers are seen in this WTOP file photo. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

D.C. police cruisers are seen in this WTOP file photo. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

D.C. police have found a 2-year-old boy who was missing after his mother was fatally shot late Tuesday night.

Police said shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday that 2-year-old Royce Hawkins was found unharmed. An Amber Alert that had been issued earlier Wednesday morning has been canceled.

Hawkins had last been seen just before 7 p.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of Kenyon Street NW. The child was with his mother at the time, according to police.

Later that night, just before 11 p.m., officers responded to a shooting in the 600 block of Kenyon Street NW. When they arrived, they found Hawkins’ mother in an alley suffering from gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to interim D.C. Police Chief Jeffery Carroll, she got into an argument in the alley with a man. The man then shot her and fled the scene.

Authorities were not able to located the child for hours after the shooting, prompting police to issue an Amber Alert.

Police found the child in an apartment in the 500 block of Kenyon Street NW with the man suspected of shooting his mother, according to police. That man is not the child’s father, police said, and has been arrested and charged with murder.

Below is a map of where the shooting occurred.

(Courtesy Google Maps)

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