WASHINGTON — Police are investigating the death of a 13-year-old boy who they say was shot by a man he tried to carjack Saturday night near Judiciary Square Metro in Northwest, D.C.
Officers were sent to the 600 block of D Street NW just after 10 p.m. for reports of shots fired. Once on scene, they found a teen boy who had been shot. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, but later died from his injuries.
Police identified the teen as Vernard Toney, Jr., of Southeast, D.C.
The teen's mother visited the scene and spoke to WUSA9. She said she's heartbroken and grappling with the details released by DC Police
DC Police said the man who shot the teen was sitting in his car when two teenagers approached him and demanded he get out of the car. Police say one of the teens was holding his hand in his front pocket as if he had a gun, but did not say which teen was doing this.
The man reportedly got out of his car, pulled out a gun and shot Toney. The other teenager ran away, and police are still searching for them. They are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the teen's arrest.
Police said the man who shot the teen is a federal security officer who was waiting in his car for his shift to start. They said he legally owned the gun used. Police said he is cooperating with their investigation.
As of Oct. 28, DC Police say there have been 821 carjackings reported in the District this year, compared to 395 this time last year; that's a 108% increase. Car thefts in general are also dramatically on the rise (up 101%), while violent crime overall has increased by 41%.
DC Police shared the following tips to try and reduce your risk of becoming a carjacking victim.
When you are on the road:
- ALWAYS keep your doors locked and windows rolled up (if it’s hot and you don’t have air conditioning, roll them up at least part-way) no matter how short the distance you’re traveling or how safe the neighborhood.
- Drive in the center lane to make it harder for potential carjackers to approach the car.
- AVOID driving alone. Travel with someone whenever possible, especially at night.
- When you are coming to a stop, leave enough room to maneuver around other cars, especially if you sense trouble and need to get away.
- Always drive with the doors locked. If a thief can’t get in your vehicle, you stand a better chance of leaving with it.
- DON’T stop to assist a stranger whose car has broken down. You can help instead by driving to the nearest phone (or using your cell phone) to call police for help.