The arrest of a 17-year-old male suspect has brought a sense of relief to the family of Zytina Mason-Brown, a 14-year-old girl from Washington, D.C., who was fatally shot. Initially, police believed she had accidentally shot herself. However, her family insisted that Mason-Brown did not take her own life.

The suspect was taken into custody, charged in connection to the incident that occurred inside an apartment where Mason-Brown was found dead. “I’m feeling — I don’t want to say happy because it’s not a joyous occasion,” said Mason-Brown’s grandmother, Michelle Brown to FOX5 DC. “But I’m satisfied that D.C. police apprehended the suspect. They did their job.”

Mason-Brown, an eighth grader with aspirations to become a beautician and real estate agent, was killed on May 21, 2025. The incident took place at the Benning Courts Pentacle complex located at the 1700 block of Benning Road Northeast opposite Hechinger Mall.

Initially labeled as an accidental shooting by police, the case took a significant turn when the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide in August 2025. “We knew that Zytina did not kill herself,” said her aunt, Dawna Cooke, expressing gratitude to the Metropolitan Police Department for their efforts to arrest the suspect.

The family has voiced their appreciation for the police’s determination in investigating the case, which has led to an arrest that could result in justice for the young girl. Details concerning the suspect’s identity and court appearances remain undisclosed due to juvenile privacy laws.