WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Metropolitan Police have identified the man killed outside a Northwest DC high school Monday afternoon as 36-year-old Michael Gaddis. Gaddis was a safe passage worker caught in the crossfire.

In just 31 days, the District has seen 16 homicides. Most recently, a safe passage worker, now identified as Michael Gaddis, who was trusted with the safety of students was caught in the crossfire less than an hour before Coolidge High School let out.

Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee expressed his frustration during a press conference Tuesday.

“What we know is that at least two individuals who appear to be acquainted with each other somehow got involved in some type of dispute,” Chief Contee explained. “We see it playing out, you know, some argument between somebody over something that nobody needs to die over ends in gunfire.”

Less than 24 hours after the shooting, students headed back to the classroom but were still shaken by the harrowing events from the day before. Some spoke to DC News Now and described their fear and having to barricade the doors of their classroom after the shooting happened.

“It’s like really really scary and you don’t know what day is going to be your last.”

Coolidge High School student

Chief Contee says he’s tired of the gun violence in the District. But students say they’re even more frustrated, saying they’re tired of not only rising gun violence but also assaults and other violent crimes. They also highlighted that others are becoming normalized to the violence which is another problem in itself.

“What some years ago would have been a fist fight turned into what it did because someone had a firearm,” Chief Contee said.

No gun has been recovered and police are offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever killed Michael Gaddis.