Jose Hernandez Accused Of Killing Zephaniah Wright In DC: PD
In family pictures, he grinned. The target wasn’t him.
Wright, Zephaniah
Wright, Zephaniah
Wright, Zephaniah
According to Metropolitan Police, Zephaniah Wright, a cherished 19-year-old from Northeast Washington, DC, was shot and killed during a gunfight in the Petworth area on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
An 18-year-old suspect has been brought into custody and charged by authorities in what family members consider to be a tragic instance of mistaken identity.
On April 29, just after 9 p.m., Wright was one of three individuals shot.
Officials reported that after shooting broke out, Fourth District officers responded to the 800 block of Taylor Street and the 3700 block of Georgia Avenue NW.
On Georgia Avenue, authorities discovered a male and a 15-year-old child who had been shot. According to authorities, a third victim, a guy, was struck on Taylor Street and drove himself to a hospital.
DC EMS and firefighters hurried the injured to nearby hospitals. Later, the adult male who was shot with Wright passed away. The teenager suffered severe injuries.
Despite attempts to save him, Wright did not make it out alive.
Jose Hernandez, 18, of Northwest DC, was taken into custody by MPD’s Third District Crime Suppression Team on Thursday, June 19. Police said Friday that he was charged with first-degree murder while armed (premeditated).
According to Wright’s relatives, the teenager was not intended to get caught in the crossfire.
A loved one noted in an attribute that his life was cut too short. He wasn’t the criminals’ intended target, it was said.
Police have not disclosed the circumstances surrounding the shooting or verified that Wright was the unintentional victim.
The inquiry is still ongoing.
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