In the early morning hours of August 6, 2023, a dispute on a Washington, D.C., street turned fatal, ending the life of 28-year-old Antonio Brown. At about 6:00 a.m., officers from the Metropolitan Police Department responded to reports of a shooting in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street, Northwest. They discovered Mr. Brown, a resident of Northwest, D.C., with a gunshot wound to the torso.
Emergency services transported him to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Surveillance footage captured the moments leading up to the shooting. The video showed a physical altercation between two men on the street. Mr. Brown was standing in close proximity to the confrontation when a single gunshot was fired. As others at the scene fled, Mr. Brown fell backward onto the pavement.
The investigation led police to arrest Franklin Dorn, who was 43 at the time and was later revealed to be Mr. Brown’s uncle. Authorities charged Dorn with first-degree murder while armed. Court records indicated that Dorn had been released from jail just two days prior to the shooting after previous weapons charges against him had been dropped.
During court proceedings, prosecutors acknowledged that while they believed Dorn instigated the conflict, he was not the person who fired the fatal shot. The identity of the actual shooter was reportedly known to authorities, but no charges had been filed against them during the initial hearings. Dorn’s defense attorney argued that his client was being "bullied" by the other man in the altercation and that his actions were in self-defense.
Franklin Dorn stood trial for his nephew’s killing. In August 2025, a jury found him not guilty, and he was acquitted of the murder charge.
As of August 2025, the homicide of Antonio Brown remains unsolved. The Metropolitan Police Department offers a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous tips can also be sent to the department’s text tip line at 50411.
