On the evening of Sunday, February 23, 2014, tragedy struck in the 1300 block of Alabama Avenue, SE, in Washington, D.C., when 18-year-old Marquette Davon Hooks was fatally shot. The Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene at approximately 9:16 p.m. and launched a homicide investigation into the death of the young male.
For years, the case of Marquette Hooks' murder remained unsolved, leaving a void in the lives of his family and community.
He was the beloved son of Gwendolyn Hooks and Trevis Rice, and a devoted brother to Shanika and Donnell Hooks, and Lamonta and Quinzelle Jackson. His sudden death was deeply mourned by his three nieces, three nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends who remembered him fondly.
A significant breakthrough in the investigation came years later, leading to the arrest of Rocquel Shacore Bradley. According to court documents, the shooting was an act of retaliation. Earlier on the same day he was killed, Marquette Hooks, who was 18 at the time, had robbed the 24-year-old Bradley. In a fatal act of retribution, Bradley shot Hooks and another individual who survived the attack.
In May of 2018, Rocquel Bradley pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed. On July 13, 2018, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison for his role in the death of Marquette Hooks. During the sentencing, Hooks' mother addressed Bradley, stating, 'You destroyed my family's life.' Another family member expressed the hope that their family could one day forgive him for taking the law into his own hands. Bradley offered an apology to the family, acknowledging the impact of his actions on his own future and expressing a desire to mentor young people upon his release. He is also required to serve five years of probation following his prison sentence.
