12-year-old boy and his friend getting juice from food truck each shot at least a dozen times by 3 masked men angry about unrelated shooting: Cops

Two young men have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the fatal daylight shooting of two boys outside a northeast Washington food truck on April 14, according to police and federal prosecutors.

Authorities identified the defendants as 18-year-old Antonio Terry and 20-year-old Markell Woodings. The victims, 12-year-old Mhilo Young and 14-year-old Tyale Coates, were shot repeatedly in a parking lot on the 700 block of Kenilworth Avenue in the northeast section of the city where both boys lived.

Incident Overview

The shooting occurred at approximately 3:25 p.m. on April 14 when Coates and Young were patronizing a newly opened food truck in their neighborhood. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Coates had just purchased french fries and juice when a vehicle pulled up to the location. Three masked individuals exited the vehicle and immediately opened fire across the commercial parking lot before reentering the vehicle and fleeing the area.

Metropolitan Police Department investigators stated that the victims were not targeted for their individual identities, but rather because of where they lived. Investigators determined that the suspects were seeking retaliation following the death of their friend, Dereon Womack, who had been killed days earlier. Police alleged that the defendants intended to shoot someone from what they perceived as a rival neighborhood, traveling to Kenilworth Avenue and firing dozens of rounds when they observed two boys outside.

Timeline of Events

1. Days prior to April 14: An acquaintance of the suspects, identified by police as Dereon Womack, was killed in an unrelated incident.
2. April 14, approximately 3:20 p.m.: Tyale Coates obtained permission from his mother to visit a food truck down the street from his residence.
3. April 14, approximately 3:25 p.m.: Coates and Mhilo Young received their order at the food truck on the 700 block of Kenilworth Avenue when three masked assailants exited a vehicle and discharged firearms into the parking lot.
4. April 14, post-shooting response: Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived on scene, locating both juveniles with severe ballistic injuries; Coates died at the scene, and Young died at a local medical facility.
5. Subsequent investigation: Ballistic testing on recovered shell casings and analysis of social media communications connected two suspects to the shooting.
6. November 9: Scheduled preliminary hearing date for defendant Antonio Terry in local court.

Suspect Information

Police arrested Antonio Terry, 18, and Markell Woodings, 20, charging both with murder. A third masked suspect who participated in the parking lot shooting has not been identified and remains sought by law enforcement. Authorities stated that following the fatal attack, the suspects published images displaying firearms on social media accounts and bragged to an acquaintance regarding the deaths.

Victim Information

The victims were identified as 12-year-old Mhilo Young and 14-year-old Tyale Coates, both of whom resided in the Northeast quadrant of Washington, D.C. Family members indicated that Coates was subject to a strict 7:30 p.m. curfew and was generally accompanied by his mother when outdoors in the area. His parents had permitted him to ride the bus home from school independently for the first time in the days preceding the attack. His aunt, Morgan Wingate, stated that Coates had explicitly called his mother to receive permission to purchase food from the truck moments before gunfire erupted. Coates sustained 12 gunshot wounds, while Young was struck 18 times.

Police Response

Officers assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to the 700 block of Kenilworth Avenue immediately following reports of multiple gunshots. Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered both juveniles suffering from critical bullet wounds. Paramedics and medical personnel evaluated Coates at the scene, where he was pronounced dead. Young was stabilized by first responders and rushed by ambulance to an area hospital, where medical staff later pronounced him dead from his injuries.

Investigation

The homicide probe was conducted by detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department in coordination with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. The investigative team conducted forensic evaluations of the crime scene, reviewed surveillance camera footage from adjacent commercial spaces, and interviewed witnesses. Investigators also conducted digital reviews of public and private social media profiles linked to neighborhood disputes, locating posts where suspects allegedly exhibited firearms and discussed the homicide.

Evidence Collected

• Seventy spent shell casings recovered by forensic investigators across the parking lot and surrounding pavement.
• Ballistic and tool-mark evidence derived directly from the discharged cartridge cases found at the crime scene.
• Photographs obtained from social media platforms allegedly depicting the defendants in possession of firearms.
• Electronic communications and witness statements detailing admissions allegedly made by the defendants regarding the shooting.

Arrest Details

Following forensic analysis connecting physical evidence recovered from the spent ammunition casings to the suspects, law enforcement officers took Antonio Terry and Markell Woodings into custody. Both individuals were processed on warrants issued in connection with the double homicide. Law enforcement units continue their efforts to locate and identify the third masked individual who participated in the armed assault.

Charges Filed

• First-Degree Murder While Armed: Under District of Columbia law, first-degree murder requires proof of purposeful killing with premeditation and deliberation. The armed enhancement applies when a felony is committed while the offender is equipped with or has readily available a firearm, significantly raising the statutory sentencing exposure upon conviction. Under the D.C. Code, a conviction for first-degree murder carries potential terms of incarceration extending up to life imprisonment without the possibility of release, alongside statutory mandatory minimum sentences for the armed component. Accomplices who aid, abet, or act in concert during an armed homicide face identical statutory exposure as the primary shooter under local law.

Court Information

The criminal proceedings are handled within the District of Columbia court system, where felony prosecutions initiated by local police are handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Antonio Terry has been scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on November 9. Initial court scheduling and representation details for Markell Woodings were not formally released at the time of the police announcement.

Statements from Authorities

The Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrests through an official agency update, confirming that Terry and Woodings have each been charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia confirmed the operational details of the shooting, reporting that three masked men exited a vehicle, carried out the targeted gunfire in the parking lot, and immediately drove away.

Public Safety Information

Violent crime investigations often depend on community participation and the submission of timely information. Residents with information regarding open homicides or the identity of the third suspect sought in this case are urged to contact local authorities by calling the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099 or texting tips anonymously to the department's text tip line at 50411. For emergency situations or immediate threats to public safety, residents should contact 911 immediately.

What Happens Next

Following the filing of criminal complaints, felony defendants in the District of Columbia proceed to a preliminary hearing where a judge determines whether probable cause exists to hold the accused for grand jury action. If the court finds probable cause, the case is presented to a grand jury, which evaluates evidence presented by federal prosecutors to decide whether to return a formal indictment. If an indictment is returned, defendants appear for formal arraignment in D.C. Superior Court, entering pleas before the case advances into pretrial discovery, motion hearings, and trial scheduling.