Jacquise Zanders, a 21-year-old Black man, was inside an America's Best Wings restaurant on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 13, 2025, when his life was cut short. At approximately 5:10 p.m., police in Washington, D.C. were called to the 4500 block of Benning Road, Southeast, for a report of a shooting. Officers arrived to find two men suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel responded, but their lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful for Mr. Zanders, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation led police to identify 20-year-old Antoine Lowery as a suspect. On Monday, June 23, 2025, authorities arrested Lowery in Southwest, D.C., on a D.C. Superior Court warrant. He was charged with first-degree murder while armed.
During a court hearing in July 2025, prosecutors suggested the shooting may have been gang-related.
They alleged that Zanders was a member of the Lincoln Heights Crew and Lowery belonged to a rival neighborhood group, the Clay Terrace Crew. An ongoing dispute between the two crews, prosecutors argued, could have been the motive for the killing. A police detective testified about CCTV footage from the restaurant, which allegedly showed Lowery arriving minutes before Zanders, waiting for him to enter the parking lot, and then following him inside.
According to an eyewitness and the surviving victim, Lowery had been inside the restaurant for about 11 to 12 minutes without ordering food or speaking to anyone. The detective testified that shortly after Zanders entered the establishment, he was shot almost immediately. The prosecution used this evidence to argue the shooting was premeditated. Lowery's defense attorney countered that premeditation had not been established and highlighted what he described as discrepancies among officers who identified Lowery from a "be on the lookout" flyer. Despite these arguments, a judge found there was probable cause to move the case forward.
On March 27, 2026, Antoine Lowery was arraigned in D.C. Superior Court before Judge Neal Kravitz. He pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction. According to court documents, the offenses were committed while Lowery was on release for a separate, unrelated matter. As of March 2026, the case was proceeding through the court system.
