Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred on Thursday, December 29, 2022, in the 2000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Southeast. 

At approximately 9:26 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the listed location for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located two adult male victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and after finding no signs consistent with life, one of the victims remained on the scene until transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The other victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The decedent has been identified as 24-year-old Mario Leonard, of Temple Hills, MD.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each homicide committed in the District of Columbia. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.