Second teen suspect arrested in deadly Petworth shooting that killed 19-year-old

Washington, DC — A second teenager has been arrested in connection to a fatal triple shooting in Petworth that left a 19-year-old man dead and two others wounded, one of them a 15-year-old boy.

On Friday, members of the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested 18-year-old Jayden Wells of Northwest D.C., charging him with First Degree Murder while Armed (Premeditated) in the April 29 shooting that rocked the Petworth neighborhood. Wells is the second suspect charged in the case.

According to investigators, the violence erupted around 9 p.m. on Taylor Street and Georgia Avenue NW. When officers arrived, they found two gunshot victims—an adult male and a 15-year-old juvenile—on Georgia Avenue. Both were rushed to the hospital, but 19-year-old Zephaniah Wright of Northeast D.C. succumbed to his injuries. The teen survived with serious injuries.

A third victim, also an adult male, later arrived at a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators determined he was shot on Taylor Street.

The first arrest in the case came on Thursday, June 19, when 18-year-old Jose Hernandez of Northwest D.C. was taken into custody by the Third District Crime Suppression Team. He was also charged with First Degree Murder while Armed (Premeditated).

Wells’ arrest closes another chapter in what has been an ongoing effort to track down those responsible for one of Petworth’s most violent incidents this year. The motive behind the shooting has not been released.

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Key Points

18-year-old Jayden Wells arrested in connection to April 29 Petworth homicide
Victim Zephaniah Wright, 19, was killed; two others were injured including a 15-year-old
Wells is the second suspect charged with First Degree Murder while Armed

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Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

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