Ahmad Mims was found on a sidewalk after investigators said he was shot inside a home on Rosedale Street.
WASHINGTON — Police are searching for whoever fatally shot 13-year-old Ahmad Mims inside a Northeast Washington home before he was found outside on a sidewalk, according to authorities and reports citing court records.
Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the 1600 block of Rosedale Street NE at about 8:24 p.m. July 11 after receiving a report of a person down. They found Ahmad suffering from a gunshot wound on the sidewalk. D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Detectives later determined that the shooting happened inside a home on the block, police said. No arrests have been announced, and authorities have not publicly identified the person who fired the fatal shot. The department is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
Doorbell-camera footage obtained by local television stations showed two apparently young males waiting in a hallway outside Ahmad’s apartment before the shooting. The video showed Ahmad opening the door, seeing the people outside and closing it before looking through the camera. Police have not said whether those shown in the footage are suspects, witnesses or otherwise connected to the case.
Ahmad’s grandmother, Monica Mims, told NBC4 Washington that someone knocked on the apartment door and asked her grandson to come outside. She said she did not know who came to the door. The circumstances between that encounter and the shooting have not been fully disclosed by investigators.
A witness reported seeing Ahmad on the front stairwell of another building before a man wearing black dragged him toward the sidewalk, according to a search warrant affidavit reviewed by NBC4. The witness described the man as muscular. The affidavit did not identify that person or state his age.
Investigators recovered two firearms and 12 cartridge casings from the home where they believe the gunfire occurred, the affidavit said. Authorities have not publicly said who owned the weapons, whether either firearm discharged the fatal shot or whether the guns have been linked to a specific person.
Witnesses told detectives that Ahmad may have been targeted because he had allegedly struck the suspected shooter’s sister, according to the affidavit. Monica Mims also said her grandson had been involved in a fight at school in the weeks before his death. Police have not confirmed a motive or established that the school dispute led to the shooting.
Ahmad was preparing to enter eighth grade at KIPP DC Northeast Academy. His grandmother described him as a sweet child who enjoyed football, video games and spending time outside. His family started an online fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses and relocation costs after the killing.
Initial police information said officers were looking for a young male who was last seen wearing black clothing and riding a bicycle near 16th and Rosedale streets. Authorities have not said whether that person remains a focus of the investigation. Police continue to ask anyone with information to contact the department as the homicide inquiry remains active.
Author note: Last updated July 20, 2026.