Local D.C. journalist, Ball State grad shot dead in nation's capital

A Ball State University graduate who went on to cover local stories for a community news publication in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night, was shot and killed while waiting for a bus in the nation's capital, according to Gannett affiliate WUSA.

Charnice Milton, 27, graduated from Ball State with a bachelor's degree in communication studies, and was working as a reporter for Capital Community News when she was "gunned down in an apparently random shooting," a statement from CCN said.

Milton was found suffering from a gunshot wound around 9:40 p.m. in the 2700 block of Good Hope Road in Southeast D.C. She was taken to the hospital where she died, WUSA reported.

"Charnice was a talented reporter with an engaging manner that endeared her to her sources," the statement said. "She was a valued member of the CCN news team completing several assignments a month."

Milton was apparently returning home from an assignment when she was struck by a bullet shot by a man on a dirt bike who was aiming at someone else, D.C. police told The Washington Post.

"Not only did they gun down a young woman, they also silenced one of our reporters," Andrew Lightman, managing editor of Capital Community News, told The Post. "I think it's a real loss not only for us and her family but also the communities that she covered. She was one of a handful of reporters across the District who was looking at the nuts and bolts of everyday life."

The DCist reported that D.C. police have not identified any suspects, but that the investigation is ongoing.

On her personal website, Milton says after she graduated from Ball State she went on to receive her master's degree from Syracuse University in magazine, newspaper and online journalism.

"Nothing is more frustrating for us than a case like this," Cathy Lanier, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, told reporters in a press conference Thursday. "Charnice is just a wonderful human being who was doing last night what she did every day. She combined her love of work with her love of community."

Francine Milton, Charnice's mother, told WUSA that she and Charnice's father are devastated about the loss of their wonderful daughter.

"She had a condition of Asperger (syndrome), and there were individuals who never thought she would get past kindergarten," said Francine. "But she graduated with honors and she's always been a miracle and blessing."

Call Star reporter Michael Anthony Adams at (317) 444-6123. Follow him on Twitter at @MichaelAdams317.