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15-year-old girl's shooting death ruled as a homicide
D.C. police now say the death of a teenage girl shot and killed back in May was a homicide. Her family spoke exclusively with FOX 5’s Shomari Stone on Tuesday, saying her death was tragic and senseless.
EXCLUSIVE - D.C. police now say the death of a teenage girl who was killed by a gunshot wound back in May was a homicide.
FOX 5 reported on the death of 14-year-old Zytina Mason-Brown inside the Benning Courts Pentacle apartment complex. At the time, it was believed to be an accident but now, another teen is facing charges in connection to the tragic incident.
Her family spoke exclusively with FOX 5’s Shomari Stone on Tuesday, saying her death was senseless.
What we know:
Mason-Brown was an 8th grader, who planned to become a beautician and a real estate agent one day, her family told FOX 5.
On May 21, D.C. police told me she accidently shot herself while recording a social media video in the apartment on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE, across the street from Hechinger Mall.
Police have released new information saying there was a 15-year-old boy inside the apartment when Mason-Brown was shot, and her death is now being ruled as a homicide.
The teenage boy was arrested and charged with possession of an unregistered firearm and tampering with physical evidence—but he has not been charged with murder.
What they're saying:
Family spoke with FOX 5, saying the whole experience has been troubling and heartbreaking.
"When it first occurred, I knew Zytina did not kill herself. So we've been fighting and fighting and fighting trying to get to answers to what happened," aunt, Dawna Cooke, said.
"I'm more angry than anything else. That it was senseless, and that she had to die for no reason. The people who did this need to be held accountable," her grandmother, Michelle Brown said.
There is a $25,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and a conviction in this case called DC police if you have any information.