In the pre-dawn hours of a cold Saturday morning, the life of Charles Robinson, a 60-year-old man, was tragically cut short, marking the first homicide of 2020 in Washington, D.C. The fatal incident unfolded on January 4, 2020, inside a residence in the Anacostia neighborhood of Southeast D.C., a place he called home.
At approximately 3:33 a.m., the quiet of the 2000 block of 19th Place SE was shattered by the sound of gunfire.
Metropolitan Police Department officers were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting. Upon entering the home, they discovered Mr. Robinson suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel arrived shortly after but could do nothing to save him; Charles Robinson was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the days that followed, the Metropolitan Police Department publicly identified Robinson as the victim and began an intensive homicide investigation. Detectives from the Homicide Branch took the lead on the case, seeking to piece together the events that led to the deadly shooting. Authorities reached out to the community for assistance, urging anyone with information to come forward. A substantial reward was offered for any tips that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this violent act.
Despite the ongoing investigation and the public appeals for information, the case has remained unsolved. No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the murder of Charles Robinson. His death remains a somber statistic in the city's crime logs, an unresolved tragedy for his family and community, and a continuing case for the city's homicide detectives who still seek the crucial piece of evidence that will bring his killer to justice.
