Teen found safe after AMBER Alert in DC; suspect escapes

WASHINGTON - A teenage girl at the center of an AMBER Alert issued Friday morning has been found safe, leading to the alert's cancellation, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

The incident began around 10:24 p.m. when Fourth District officers responded to a report of a fight in the 1300 block of Longfellow Street NW. 

Upon arrival, officers saw a black SUV and a gray sedan in the middle of the street, doors open, with at least three suspects nearby.

As officers approached the vehicles, both fled the scene. Police say the SUV struck several vehicles in its escape, including a marked MPD cruiser. During the investigation, it was reported that a teenage girl had been forced into one of the fleeing vehicles, prompting an AMBER Alert activation.

At approximately 1:10 p.m., MPD detectives, in collaboration with federal law enforcement, spotted the missing teenager and a masked male leaving a residence in the 700 block of 31st Street SE. 

They got into a car and fled, resulting in a police pursuit. Shortly after, the vehicle was involved in a minor collision in the 4200 block of Southern Avenue SE. The male driver fled the scene on foot.

Surveillance photo of suspect via MPD

Officers made contact with the teenager, confirming her identity as the reported victim. She was unharmed but taken to a hospital as a precaution.

The suspect who fled on foot was captured by surveillance cameras, and the investigation is ongoing.

MPD expressed gratitude to the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for their assistance in the case.