Man Kills 13-Year-Old Boy For Allegedly Breaking Into Vehicles

A man shot and killed a 13-year-old boy for allegedly breaking into vehicles on a residential street in Northeast Washington’s Brookland neighborhood on Saturday, Jan. 7.

The shooting reportedly occurred in the 1000 block of Quincy Street NE in Northeast Washington’s Brookland neighborhood shortly before 4 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7. The man, who authorities did not identify, confronted the 13-year-old boy, identified as Karon Blake, after allegedly seeing him break into several cars on the street, the Washington Post reported.

During the confrontation, the man allegedly pulled out his gun and shot Blake. It was unclear whether one of the vehicles that had been broken into belonged to the man. Officers who responded to the scene found Blake lying on the scene with gunshot wounds. He was immediately taken to a local hospital for treatment. However, despite their efforts, the boy succumbed to his injuries and died.

According to a spokesperson with Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the homeowner performed CPR on Blake while waiting for the police to arrive. Detectives also said that the man’s firearm was legally registered and that there was no indication Blake was armed during the confrontation.

The detectives are working with prosecutors to determine whether criminal charges are warranted against the man who shot Blake, WJLA reported.

“We are deeply saddened by the senseless death of another child in our city,” Lindsey Appiah, the acting deputy mayor for public safety and justice, said in a statement. “Any loss of life is tragic, but when a child dies, we are all especially impacted.”

“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family coupled with our commitment to work together to utilize every resource to ensure that every resident of every age in every community across the District is safe, feels safe, and is able to thrive.”

Meanwhile, a neighbor residing in the neighborhood pointed to a traffic cone along the street and said it was near the spot where broken glass and two vehicles had been before police towed them away. Officers also found a vehicle on Quincy Street that had been reported stolen. Officers believe that the vehicle had been used by the 13-year-old.