In the early hours of a Saturday morning, on July 18, 2015, the life of 25-year-old Wesley West was tragically cut short in his hometown of Washington, D.C. At approximately 12:56 am, West was shot and killed in the 3400 block of 13th Place, SE, in the Congress Heights neighborhood where he grew up. This act of violence was not an isolated incident in the area, as there had been two other homicides within a thousand feet of that block earlier in the year.
Wesley, a male with a young son,
was known in his community as someone who actively worked to prevent violence. For years, he was a member of Peaceoholics, a local organization dedicated to steering youth away from violence. His role involved mediating conflicts and fostering peace among troubled kids, a position he was effective in due to the respect he commanded. He had moved out of the neighborhood in his twenties to build a career and was working towards obtaining a contracting license to secure a stable income for his family.
The news of his death sent shockwaves through the community, leaving his family, including his parents, Wesley Young and Fontessa West-Barksdale, devastated. In the wake of the shooting, the Metropolitan Police Department launched a homicide investigation and appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the apprehension of the person or persons responsible for Wesley West's death. Despite these efforts, information regarding any arrests or identified suspects has not been made publicly available. The community mourned the loss of a man who had strived to bring peace to the very streets that ultimately claimed his life.
