14-year-old killed in Southeast DC shooting, police say

WASHINGTON - A 14-year-old was shot and killed in Southeast DC in the early morning hours Saturday, Metropolitan Police say. He’s the ninth juvenile to be shot and killed in the district thus far this year.

Police say at approximately 12:50 a.m. officers responded to the 2600 block of Sheridan Rd., SE for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found a 14-year-old boy with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced on the scene. 

The victim was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where he was later identified as 14-year-old Stephon Shreeves, of Southeast, DC.

Antoinette Harshaw lives nearby. She didn't see or hear the shooting, but says it breaks her heart. As soon as she heard about what happened, she checked in with friends who have teenage sons.

"That’s somebody’s baby. Somebody’s child," Harshaw said. "It hurts, even though I didn’t hear or see it. And I did call a few girlfriends of mine who have teenage sons and they’re ok." 

The rise in gun violence among youth is a troubling trend being seen across many D.C.-area communities. The man who runs Georgetown’s Juvenile Justice Initiative.

He says the prevalence of guns on the streets is central to the problem — something D.C. police and the mayor’s office have been saying too. But he also said this goes deeper, that there’s unaddressed trauma that was made worse by the isolation of the pandemic and there needs to be more investment in the community.

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who can provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099 or submit an anonymous tip by texting 50411.