ATF Doubles Reward For D.C. Cop Murdered In Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Federal investigators are hoping an increased reward will help track down the gunman who shot and killed a D.C. police officer in West Baltimore last weekend.

Sgt. Tony Mason Jr. worked in D.C., but lived in Baltimore.

The ATF is hoping cash will bring in the tip they need to make an arrest.

RELATED: Officials Offer Reward For Information In Officer's Death

"The reward initially was $10,000, and yesterday the ATF increased it to $20,000," said Jeremy Silbert of Baltimore City police.

Police say around 1 a.m. Saturday morning, Sgt. Mason Jr. was off-duty, sitting in a parked car with a woman on Elgin Avenue, just a few blocks from Coppin State University and was ambushed.

"Like 5 shots. Boom boom boom... boom boom," said a neighbor.

Sgt. Mason Jr. was shot several times. The 40-year-old father and former Marine did not survive.

"And he enjoyed being a police officer and he appreciated life to the fullest," said James Grayton, Mason's cousin.

Sgt. Mason's killing came just hours into Baltimore's ceasefire weekend, activists' effort to tourniquet the constant bloodshed in a city that's seen more than 300 murders for the third year in a row.

The homicide caught the attention of the FBI and ATF.

"We don't know the motive behind this, so we're hoping that someone will come forward with information," Silbert said.

Police aren't saying much about the woman who was in the car, only that she was shot in the leg and is OK.

Detectives say they don't have reason to believe the gunman knew Mason was a police officer at the time of the shooting.

Anyone with any information is asked to call authorities at 888-ATF-tips.

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