WASHINGTON — A pair of 13-year-old boys was arrested over the weekend for two separate armed carjackings that happened Friday, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Police say the first carjacking happened around 7:10 p.m. in the 300 block of K Street, Northwest. The two boys approached the driver, one brandishing a handgun, and told them to exit the car. The victim got out of the car, and the two boys tried to drive off in the stolen car, but couldn't. They took off on foot, according to police.
About 90 minutes later, MPD received another call for an armed carjacking at the 400 block of O Street, Northwest. This victim was also told to exit their car by two suspects, while one showed a gun. This time the two suspects were able to drive off in the car.
The next day, police said they arrested a 13-year-old boy from Northwest D.C., and a 13-year-old boy from Brandywine, Maryland, for the crimes. The boys have both been charged with two counts of armed carjacking.
They're the latest to be arrested in a string of carjackings by young teens.
On Thursday, MPD detectives arrested a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy for a carjacking using a knife, but police believe five people may have been involved altogether.
Those reports come days after the death of UberEats driver Muhammad Anwar, who was killed when two teenage girls, aged 13 and 15, attempted to steal his car with a stun gun, leading two a deadly rollover crash in D.C.'s Navy Yard community.
Anwar's family is still reeling for his death, and some leaders are calling for the incident to be investigated as a hate crime.
D.C. and the DMV region in general has seen a spike in carjacking cases over the past few months, leading to the creation of a Carjacking Task Force, meant to crackdown on these crimes.
Earlier this month, we asked Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones why he believes young people are committing carjackings in our area.
“It is interesting that in the world of the COVID pandemic some people would say it's due to boredom, right. Some people would think that it can be connected to some video games or just the joy of it and because we do see those individuals again, not necessarily doing it for financial gain, that it seems to be some sort of a joy ride or a kick,” Jones said. “I still think it's them not understanding the seriousness of what they're actually doing and a willingness to go out and again, not only endanger the lives of others, but they're also endangering their own lives for those who really don't know how to drive.”