In the afternoon hours of a late March day in Washington, D.C., events unfolded that would tragically end the life of a young man. On Thursday, March 27, 2025, at approximately 3:24 p.m., police officers from the Seventh District were dispatched to the 3800 block of 1st Street, Southeast, following a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival at the scene, they discovered an adult male who was unconscious and not breathing, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.
Despite the swift
response and life-saving efforts attempted at the scene, the man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. The victim was later identified as 29-year-old Benjamin Mingo, a resident of Northeast, D.C. The incident was investigated as a homicide, prompting an active and ongoing search for the person or persons responsible for Mingo's death. The Metropolitan Police Department offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
For seven months, the investigation into Benjamin Mingo's murder continued. A significant development in the case came on Thursday, October 23, 2025. On that day, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, acting on a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant, apprehended a suspect. The individual taken into custody was identified as 32-year-old Clarence Edward Jones, Jr., of Southeast, D.C.
Following his arrest, Jones was charged with First Degree Murder While Armed in connection with the fatal shooting of Benjamin Mingo. The arrest marked a crucial step forward in a case that had remained unresolved for several months, bringing a measure of progress for those awaiting justice for the killing of the 29-year-old man.
