On a Thursday evening in Washington, D.C., the life of a young man was tragically cut short. Francisco Orlando Rivas, a 19-year-old Hispanic male, was fatally shot on February 23, 2012. Friends and family knew him affectionately as 'Franky.' A resident of Hyattsville, Maryland, Rivas was a young father and a graduate of High Point High School's class of 2010.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:15 p.m. in the 5000 block of 10th Street, Northeast. Officers from the Fourth District of the Metropolitan Police Department responded to reports of a man down in the area of 10th and Gallatin Streets, NE. Upon arrival, they discovered Rivas suffering from a gunshot wound. D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported him to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
In the wake of the shooting, a vigil was held to remember and honor the life of Francisco 'Franky' Rivas.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch launched an investigation into the fatal shooting. A reward of up to $25,000 was offered to anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for his death.
Despite the ongoing investigation and the offered reward, no arrests have been publicly announced in connection with the murder of Francisco Rivas. The case is listed on the District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police Department website as an unsolved homicide from 2012. The investigation remains open, and authorities continue to seek assistance from the public to bring closure to the family of the young man whose life was taken that winter evening.
