On March 9, 1977, Barry was shot by a group of radical Black Hanafi Muslims during a siege in which a group of 12 took over three buildings, including the John A. Wilson building where the D.C. city council was housed, and held 150 hostages.
The Hanafis demanded justice for members of the Nation of Islam who’d killed women and children at the home of their leader, Hamaas Abdul Khaalis. Yhe sentences those involved received wasn’t satisfactory to them.
Barry wasn’t the mayor at the time, but a city councilman. He was hit by a bullet that ricocheted while the Hanafis were firing outside the chambers.but wasn’t the intended target. He was hospitalized, but fortunately the wound was superficial so he made a full recovery.
