A quick trip to a neighborhood food truck was supposed to be an ordinary afternoon for 12-year-old Mhilo Young and his 14-year-old friend, Tyale Coates. Instead, the outing ended in a deadly shooting that left both boys dead and a Washington, D.C., community searching for answers.
The boys were visiting a food truck along the 700 block of Kenilworth Avenue in Northeast Washington on April 14, 2026, when gunfire erupted, according to investigators. Authorities now allege that the children were caught in violence connected to tensions between rival neighborhoods, rather than being specifically targeted because of their identities.
Months after the shooting, police announced the arrests of Antonio Terry, 18, and Markell Woodings, 20. Both men face two counts of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the deaths.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are still seeking a third suspect believed to have been involved in the attack.
A Simple Request to Visit a Food Truck
For Tyale’s family, the circumstances surrounding his death have made the tragedy especially difficult to accept.
According to relatives, Tyale was not usually allowed to go outside alone in his neighborhood. His family kept a close eye on him, and he had a 7:30 p.m. curfew. His mother often accompanied him when he went places.
In the days before the shooting, his parents had begun allowing him to ride the bus home from school on his own for the first time.
On April 14, Tyale reportedly asked his mother for permission to get something to eat from a new food truck nearby. She agreed, believing he was making a short trip to a familiar area.
His aunt, Morgan Wingate, said Tyale had permission to be there and had only just arrived. She recalled speaking with his mother by phone around the time he asked to go.
The plan was simple: pick up some food, spend a little time with a friend and return home.
But the boys never got that chance.
Gunfire Erupts Near the Food Truck
Police said officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Kenilworth Avenue at approximately 3:27 p.m. after receiving reports of a shooting.
According to the federal criminal allegations, three masked men got out of a vehicle and began firing at the location where the boys were standing. The suspects then returned to the vehicle and drove away.
Investigators later reported that approximately 70 shell casings were recovered from the scene, indicating the scale of the gunfire.
Local reporting on the case said Mhilo was struck 18 times and Tyale was hit 12 times.
When officers arrived, both children had suffered gunshot wounds. Tyale was pronounced dead at the scene. Mhilo was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died despite efforts to save him.
The shooting transformed an ordinary neighborhood afternoon into a devastating scene for the victims’ families and the surrounding community.
For Tyale’s mother, the news came in a moment of overwhelming shock. Wingate recalled receiving a call from her niece after the shooting.
“She was screaming. She was screaming,” the aunt said, describing her relative’s reaction. “I’m like, ‘what?’ She was like, ‘They shot my son.'”
The family was left trying to understand how a brief outing for food could end in the deaths of two children.
Investigators Believe the Boys Were Caught in Neighborhood Retaliation
As detectives worked to establish a motive, investigators developed a theory that the shooting was connected to an earlier killing.
According to authorities, the suspects were allegedly angry over the death of their friend, Dereon Womack, who had been killed days before the attack on Kenilworth Avenue.
Investigators believe the men set out to retaliate against someone from a rival neighborhood. The criminal allegations state that the suspects learned two boys were outside in the area and then drove there before opening fire.
Police have said the available evidence suggests the attack was driven by neighborhood rivalry rather than a personal dispute with Mhilo or Tyale.
That distinction is important, but it does not make the outcome any less devastating. The boys were children who had gone out to get food, and investigators allege they became victims of a dispute that had nothing to do with them personally.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged retaliation, including the roles of the people believed to have participated.
Evidence Leads to Two Arrests
The Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrests of two suspects in late October, more than six months after the shooting.
Antonio Terry, 18, was arrested on October 25, 2026, while Markell Woodings, 20, was arrested on October 26. Both were taken into custody under arrest warrants issued by D.C. Superior Court.
Each man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed.
Investigators said evidence recovered from shell casings helped connect the suspects to the case. Authorities also cited alleged social media activity involving photographs of firearms and claims about the killings.
Those allegations form part of the investigation and have not been established as facts through a trial.
Police have not announced the arrest of the third suspected participant. The search for additional evidence and information remains a priority as authorities work to determine what happened before, during and after the shooting.
Terry was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on November 9, while the next court date for Woodings had not been made clear in the information available at the time of the announcement.
Both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Police Offer a Reward for Information
Authorities are continuing to seek help from the public as the investigation moves forward.
The Metropolitan Police Department has announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for each victim’s death. That brings the total potential reward to $50,000.
Anyone with information can contact the department at 202-727-9099. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by text message to 50411.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity around Kenilworth Avenue on the afternoon of April 14, or who has information about the suspects’ movements, to come forward.
The reward reflects the importance authorities place on gathering additional evidence and identifying everyone responsible for the killings.
A Community Left Grieving Two Young Lives
The deaths of Mhilo Young and Tyale Coates have brought renewed attention to the impact of retaliatory violence on children and families in Washington, D.C.
For families, neighborhood violence can make even familiar places feel unsafe. A nearby food truck, a walk around the block or a short trip to meet a friend should not carry the risk of becoming the scene of a deadly confrontation.
The case also illustrates how conflicts between older teenagers and adults can have devastating consequences for people who are not involved in the underlying dispute.
Investigators believe the two boys were caught in violence driven by neighborhood tensions. Their families, meanwhile, are left with the loss of children who had gone out for an ordinary afternoon snack.
With two arrests made and a third suspect still being sought, authorities continue working to build the case and establish accountability for the deaths.
For those who knew the boys, the legal proceedings cannot undo what happened. But answers about why the shooting occurred, who took part and how the alleged retaliation developed may help the community understand the tragedy and bring the investigation closer to resolution.
