WASHINGTON — Malachi Lukes should be preparing to celebrate his 14th birthday. But after a year that included being handcuffed by Metro Transit Police at the age of 13, and going viral after video showed a man being tased by police while trying to defend Lukes, the 13-year-old was shot and killed Sunday in Shaw, the Washington Post is reporting.
According to the Post, Lukes was handcuffed by Metro Transit Police in June 2019, after police were called to the U Street Metro for reports of disorderly juveniles threatening riders with sticks. In a statement, police said they juveniles were pointed out by witnesses.
WUSA9's Delia Goncalves interviewed Lukes about his experience of seeing 29-year-old Tapiwa Musonza be tased by police after the man tried to step in and defend Lukes and another underage boy.
On the video, you can see Musonza talking to two officers while they're holding another person on a bench. But another officer comes into frame and things escalate quickly and end with Musonza being hit with a Taser repeatedly.
Police originally charged Musonza with assaulting an officer, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest after he stepped in while police were questioning the two underage boys. The charges against the Howard University finance grad were eventually all dropped.
On Sunday, Lukes, and a 7th grader who has not been identified, were found shot in an alleyway in the 600 block of S Street Northwest. Lukes was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, officials said. The other teen suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Officials added that other teens ran away from the shooting scene when officers arrived. A few were taken into custody, but are not believed to be suspects in the shooting.
Lukes shooting came a week after two teens were killed in a Northwest, D.C., apartment. Jaime Zelaya,16, and his 17-year-old best friend Wilfredo Torres were killed when a gunman burst into Zelaya's home and open fired.
According to D.C. Police, 28 people have been killed in the District in 2020.
Police are still looking to find those responsible for Lukes' death, and asking that anyone who has information on the shooting calls 202-727-9099.