On a Monday afternoon, 17-year-old Antonio Cunningham, a male high school junior, was on his way to his after-school job at a Jersey Mike's sub shop in the Brentwood neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C. He had just left a Chipotle in the same complex with a friend when they were accosted. The events that followed on September 11, 2023, cut short a promising young life and were part of a larger, day-long crime spree.
Four masked individuals, believed to be teenagers, pulled up in a
black SUV and a Kia Sportage. At least one of the assailants was armed and pointed a gun at Antonio's friend, demanding his shoes. As the robbery unfolded, witnesses saw one of the teens press Cunningham against a wall. A bystander, who was legally armed, attempted to intervene in the robbery. In the ensuing chaos, the gunman fired, striking Cunningham in the head and the bystander in the chest. Antonio was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries. The bystander was critically injured but survived.
Antonio was a student at Dunbar Senior High School and had started working at Jersey Mike's during the summer. His family described him as a snappy dresser who loved basketball and boxing, with aspirations of one day opening his own boxing gym. He was devoted to his five younger sisters. His father, Antonio Davis, expressed profound grief, stating that while justice would bring some relief, it would never bring his son back.
The investigation into the homicide led to the arrests of 16-year-old Marlan Smith Jr. and 17-year-old Anthony Monroe. They were apprehended on October 5th after residents reported suspicious vehicles. Both teenagers were charged as adults with first-degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and several counts of robbery. The charges stemmed not only from the fatal shooting of Antonio Cunningham but also from a series of armed robberies that took place throughout that day, often involving the theft of sneakers. A judge ordered both Smith and Monroe to be detained pending a further hearing.
