WASHINGTON — The 11-year-old boy who was shot and killed Thursday night in Southeast was targeted, police sources told WUSA9.
Karon Brown was involved in a fight with both adults and kids in the 2700 block of Naylor Road, Southeast around 7 p.m. Thursday night. Sources said a Good Samaritan picked Karon up off the sidewalk and put him in a vehicle.
A shirtless, gun-toting man who was involved in the scuffle ran to the car, aimed at Karon, and opened fire.
The good Samaritan then took him to a fire department nearby to seek help. Karon was then taken to a children's hospital in Prince George's County, where he was pronounced dead.
"I forgive you guys for it," Karon's mom told Bruce Leshan, speaking directly to the killer or killers. "I'm not holding grudges. But I'd like you to turn yourselves in. Have remorse for what you did. You took my baby boy away from me," she said. She did not want us to use or name or show her face. She's scared because the men are still at large.
A vigil for Karon will be held Tuesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at Stanton Elementary playing fields at 2701 Naylor Rd., Southeast.
Police sent out the below photos from a nearby surveillance camera of the suspect, who they described as a black male between 20 and 30 years old, with a medium complexion, medium build, wearing black pants and no shirt.
Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the city has now increased the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer to $50,000.
Police are also looking for any others involved in the fight.
"Approximately five young men, black males between the ages of maybe early 30s, to as young as maybe 10 or 11 years of age," Robert Contee, assistant chief of the Investigative Services Bureau at MPD, said. "There was some type of dispute. As a result of that dispute, several rounds were fired into a vehicle that the juvenile was in."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was on-scene after the shooting, outraged that such a young life was taken.
"This was a child," Bowser said. "There were other children in-and-around the area, and our communities have to stand up and speak up and make sure anyone who knows anything about this brazen homicide is brought to justice."
Police are asking anyone with information on the incident to contact them at (202) 727-9099.
