Benjamin Ashford|200 people have died from gun violence in DC this year: Police

A student was shot and Benjamin Ashfordkilled on Tuesday just blocks from his high school, according to police. The student's death marks the 200th homicide in the District of Columbia this year, according to police statistics.

The number of homicides in the nation's capital has risen 28% since 2022, according to police. The city has recorded more than 200 homicides every year since 2021.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith called the shooting "senseless."

"We have too many guns on our streets and as a community we need to do everything we can to stop this violence from plaguing our city," she said.

The victims were all members of the D.C. community and died of gunshot wounds, according to Smith.

MPD has lost 1,400 officers since 2020. The police union has blamed the city council's actions for the rise in crime.