On January 21, 2014, at approximately 2:02 a.m., Earnest J. McWilliams was shot in the 4500 block of Benning Road SE in Southeast Washington, D.C. He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and died of his injuries on February 22, 2014, after a month in care. Reports say the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear.

The Metropolitan Police Department issued a public appeal for information after his death, but no details about suspects or arrests have been released. The investigation remains open and the family has not been publicly reported as having answers.

If anyone has information about McWilliams, his movements that night, or the shooting on Benning Road, please come forward to aid the investigation.