In the early evening of February 13, 2020, a fatal encounter unfolded on a busy sidewalk in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Terence Dantzler, a 29-year-old male, was shot and killed on the 700 block of 8th Street, Northwest, near the National Portrait Gallery. The incident, which occurred around 5:08 p.m., shattered the evening calm as witnesses reported hearing an argument just before the gunshots.
According to accounts from those who saw the tragic event, the gunman shot
Dantzler and then stood over his prone body, firing at least two more times in what was described as an execution-style killing. One witness reported hearing someone shout 'no' just before the shots were fired. After the shooting, the assailant calmly put the handgun in his pocket and walked away from the scene in front of the Calvary Baptist Church.
The sound of the gunshots attracted the attention of nearby Metropolitan Police Department officers who were on patrol. They immediately confronted the fleeing suspect, initiating a pursuit that weaved through traffic. The chase led to an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and the officers in the 700 block of 10th Street, Northwest. The suspect was struck in the hand, sustaining a non-life-threatening injury. He was apprehended shortly after in the area of 11th and H Streets, Northwest, where a handgun was also recovered.
The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Jaykell Mason of Southeast, D.C. He was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault on a police officer while armed, and carrying a pistol without a license. Terence Dantzler was transported to a local hospital, but despite all life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead.
In the ensuing legal process, Jaykell Mason has been before the court multiple times. At one point, concerns about his competency to stand trial led to a transfer to St. Elizabeths Hospital for a mental health evaluation. He has since been offered at least two plea deals, both of which he has rejected. His trial is scheduled to take place in September of 2025. The officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure in such cases.
