Arrest in Washington, D.C. Teen’s Death Provides Family Relief

The family of 14-year-old Zytina Mason-Brown in Washington, D.C. finds respite as police arrest a suspect in her death. For months, her family argued that Zytina did not take her own life, contradicting initial police assumptions of an accidental shooting.

A 17-year-old male suspect has been detained. Authorities claim he was present in the apartment when the fatal shooting occurred. Zytina’s grandmother, Michelle Brown, expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging the relief of an arrest while lamenting the tragic circumstances. ‘I’m feeling satisfied that D.C. police did apprehend the suspect,’ she mentioned to FOX5 DC.

Zytina Mason-Brown, a vibrant eighth grader aspiring to be a beautician and real estate agent, lost her life on May 21, 2025. The incident took place in the Benning Courts Pentacle complex at 1700 block, Benning Road Northeast, opposite Hechinger Mall.

Police initially described the incident as self-inflicted while making a social media video. However, the family doubted this account. In August 2025, the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death as homicide.

Her aunt, Dawna Cooke, expressed gratitude towards Metropolitan Police for their relentless pursuit of truth, leading to the arrest. ‘We knew that Zytina did not kill herself,’ she told FOX5 DC. The family’s gratitude extended to the police for their thorough investigation and conclusion which might bring justice to Zytina’s case.

Details regarding the identity of the 17-year-old suspect remain undisclosed due to juvenile privacy laws.