In the late morning of a summer Friday in Washington, D.C., the life of 20-year-old Tyjon Clayton was tragically cut short. On July 28, 2023, at approximately 11:47 a.m., Clayton and another man, 56-year-old Charles Luster Jr., were shot and killed in the 4200 block of 6th Street, Southeast. Both men were residents of Southeast, D.C. The male victims were walking on the sidewalk when two assailants emerged from a red SUV and opened fire on them with assault rifles.
After the shooting, the suspects fled the scene in the same vehicle.
Responding officers found two adult males with gunshot wounds. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The brazen daylight attack prompted an immediate investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch. Police later recovered the red SUV believed to have been used by the assailants.
Despite the ongoing investigation and a substantial reward of up to $50,000 offered by the Metropolitan Police Department for information leading to an arrest and conviction, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the murders of Tyjon Clayton and Charles Luster Jr. The case remains an open and active investigation as authorities continue to seek assistance from the public to bring those responsible to justice. Family members remember Tyjon Clayton as a graduate of Ballou High School and a custodian at the Smithsonian, who was simply walking back from a convenience store when he was killed.
