WASHINGTON — Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department are searching for answers after a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed in Northeast D.C. early Saturday morning.
Police responded to Quincy Street Northeast, off of Michigan Avenue Northeast, just before 4 a.m. after a report of a shooting in the area. At the scene, a juvenile boy was found shot and suffering from injuries.
He was taken to a local hospital to be treated for the injuries, but unfortunately he was pronounced dead.
Detectives' investigation revealed that a man inside a home on Quincy Street heard noises and observed someone that appeared to be tampering with cars. The man went outside, armed with a registered gun, to further investigate.
Police say there was an interaction between a juvenile boy and the man. During that interaction, the man shot the boy. The boy was then taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The victim in this case has been identified as 13-year-old Karon Blake of Northeast, D.C.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are currently working with the US Attorney’s Office to review the facts and circumstances for any potential criminal charges.
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah issued a statement about the shooting on Monday:
"We are deeply saddened by the senseless death of another child in our city. 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," the statement reads.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s tip line by sending a text message to 50411.
As of Jan. 6, there has been a total of three homicides across the District, according to police, this incident marks number four for the year and month of January.
This is a developing story. WUSA9 is working to confirm additional details. Stay with WUSA9 for the latest updates as they come in to our newsroom.