Martez Tony

Martez Tony was a 17-year-old student at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., remembered by those who knew him as humble and mature. The young Black man, known affectionately as "Tezz," was described in tributes as someone who was truly missed and would never be forgotten, with loved ones asking him to watch over his mother and siblings.

His life ended on the evening of Monday, January 2, 2023, in what became the first homicide of the year in the nation's capital. At around 10 p.m., Martez was with a 14-year-old boy outside the Congress Heights Metro Station in Southeast D.C. when both were shot. Emergency responders transported Martez from the scene, but he died from his injuries. The 14-year-old was also wounded but survived with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The Metropolitan Police Department and Metro Transit Police began an immediate investigation. At a news conference near the scene that night, police officials stated that their initial investigation indicated the shooting was not a random act of violence but a targeted attack on the two teenagers. Metropolitan Police Commander John Branch expressed his frustration with the ongoing violence in the community. “I’m tired of having to come to the shootings,” he said. “We have to learn as a community how to resolve our problems and our issues peacefully and without gun violence.”

The investigation into the murder of Martez Tony remains open. To date, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the shooting. As of January 2023, the case remains unsolved.