The David Kerstetter Shooting: Some Insider Background

Jason Cherkis, a Senior Writer for Washington City Paper, shares some information with TNG readers that was not published in his recent article in the Washington City Paper about the shooting death of David Kerstetter in Logan Circle in D.C.

David Kerstetter was a very tough guy. He survived a tour of duty during the first Gulf War. He came home and prompty came out to his parents. He remained in the closet and landed a job at the Pentagon. After he was diagnosed with HIV in the mid '90s, he quit the military and enrolled at the University of Maryland. Long before then, he met and fell deeply in love with Paul Brazitis. The two had an intense relationship that had its share of ups and downs.

Some of the ups: Their D.C. condo was featured in Metro Weekly in 2003, the two dreamed of opening up a bed and breakfast, and were famous among friends for their lavish dinners. Some of the downs: the two had their share of fights that ended in police calls, Brazitis was an alcoholic, Kerstetter struggled with a meth addiction and bipolar disorder. But no matter what, the two always found a way to patch things up, to care for one another even in their worst moments. In 2006, Kerstetter got clean. Their relationship appeared solid.

Then Brazitis died suddenly of liver failure in October 2007. Kerstetter never recovered from his partner's death. Last spring, he tried to kill himself. He continued to visit his partner's grave each and every day. On Nov. 6, the police were called to the condo the two once shared. The door had been busted open. Kerstetter ended up being shot by police in his bathroom.

Find out how by reading the Washington City Paper article