In the early hours of a Memorial Day weekend, the vibrant life of Alexander Mosby, a 39-year-old husband, father, and grandfather, was tragically cut short. A well-known entrepreneur and community activist in his native Washington, D.C., Mosby was fatally shot just before 2 a.m. on Saturday, May 26, 2018, in the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The male victim's death sent shockwaves through the Anacostia neighborhood where he was born, raised, and had chosen to build his life and businesses.
Mosby was a celebrated figure in his community, known for his custom T-shirt designs that promoted D.C. life and his co-ownership of the clothing boutique District Culture. He was in the process of transforming the boutique into a lounge. Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Mosby was a dedicated community advocate who actively participated in meetings concerning domestic violence, youth advocacy, and entrepreneurship. He also worked for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and counseled individuals on purchasing their first homes in the District. His commitment to his community was so profound that friends recalled him choosing to buy a home in his childhood neighborhood over moving to Maryland.
The senseless act of violence that ended Mosby's life stemmed from an argument he was attempting to de-escalate. According to court testimony, Mosby was trying to pull a friend away from a dispute with another man. As the argument escalated, the brother of the man arguing with Mosby's friend, Tywan Porter, opened fire from his gray Infiniti SUV, firing nine shots into the crowd. Tragically, only Mosby was struck. He was unarmed.
The investigation into Mosby's death led to the arrest of 25-year-old Tywan Porter nearly two weeks after the shooting. Porter, a cafeteria manager for D.C. public schools, was initially charged with second-degree murder. In August 2019, Porter pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for the shooting death of Alexander Mosby. He was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice to a community mourning the loss of a man described as a role model and a 'different type of good.'
