In the heart of a redeveloping neighborhood in Southwest Washington, D.C., the life of 21-year-old Marquis Osborne came to a violent end. On the afternoon of March 25, 2020, at approximately 5:23 p.m., Osborne, a male, was shot multiple times in the 1100 block of 4th Street, SW, just outside a Safeway near the Waterfront Metro station. Emergency services responded and transported him to a nearby hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
At home, Osborne was known to his
family as a 'gentle giant.' He was a high school graduate who worked as a cashier and was engaged to be married. His father, Melvin Campbell, described him as a loving individual who would give advice to his nieces and nephews and help support his mother, who is legally blind. However, Campbell also acknowledged another side to his son, one that was known for being tough on the streets. This reputation had led to conflicts, and in an effort to escape further trouble, Osborne had moved away from the neighborhood where he grew up.
On the day of his death, Osborne had returned to his old neighborhood to visit his mother. His father expressed a sad sense of inevitability about his son's fate, stating that he had repeatedly warned him about the dangers of street life. Campbell recounted that while his son seemed to listen to his advice, he ultimately did not heed the warnings for himself. The shooting took place in an area of new apartments and shops, and local community leaders were unsettled by the violence in what was generally considered a safe part of the neighborhood during that time of day.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch is investigating the shooting. In the immediate aftermath, authorities appealed to the public for information and offered a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Osborne's death. As of this writing, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the case. The investigation into the death of Marquis Osborne remains ongoing.
