Man who punched preschool teachers in the head, flashed group of children may be released from jail

WASHINGTON — A man who assaulted two preschool teachers and exposed himself to a group of 20-30 children last year may soon be back in the community. Authorities deemed Russell Dunkley, 39, incompetent to stand trial in a hearing this week. 

The attack happened in October 2023 near Petit Scholars Bloomingdale in D.C. Dunkley demanded money from the women. The women refused and told the man to leave them alone. He did not. When the teachers told the man they were calling 911, the man punched both women in the head multiple times according to investigators. 

The police report also says Dunkley exposed himself to the kids before a passersby jumped in to help. The man was eventually arrested. 

Isabelle Guzman, who lives a few blocks away, told WUSA9 that she recognized the man from the neighborhood.

"He’s usually standing outside one of the liquor convenience stores," she explained, "there’s two distinct areas where he’s been, and he’s asked me for money before."

Police took Dunkley to a nearby hospital for treatment, where the man spit on a police officer and slapped him, according to the report.

He was taken into custody on several charges including simple assault, misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child or minor, assault on a police officer and aggressive panhandling.

Since his arrest, he has been at mental health facilities in D.C. In court documents from earlier this month, the government said Dunkley was not mentally competent to stand trial in criminal cases.

"In this case, despite approximately one year of psychiatric treatment — the majority of that year spent inpatient at psychiatric facilities — and four months of competency evaluations and treatment at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health concluded ... that the defendant 'remains incompetent to proceed.'"

The Department of Behavioral Health also concluded that there Dunkley is unlikely to be restored to competency in the future.

DC Councilmember Zachary Parker informed Ward 5 neighbors of the development in a social media post, saying that because of the incompetency ruling, the criminal charges against him will be dismissed.

"Because his criminal charges have been dismissed, Mr. Dunkley will no longer be subject to the stay-away order that placed restrictions on his whereabouts," Parker said in a statement on Thursday.

WUSA9 reached out to DBH for comment on the case, but at this time have yet to hear back. 

There is a hearing scheduled for Nov. 7 with the Office of the Attorney General to see if Dunkley can continue to be held at an inpatient facility.

We have reached out to the Attorney General's Office for comment and have not yet heard back.