Contee says 'significant progress' being made in brutal DC Metrobus attack investigation

WASHINGTON - D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said "significant progress" is being made in the investigation into a brutal attack on a woman onboard a D.C. Metrobus.

In an interview with FOX 5 Friday, Contee said D.C. Police are working closely with Metro Transit Police investigators and "hope to bring that matter to closure sooner rather than later."

The assault was caught on cellphone video and shows several riders who appear to be juveniles - and possibly some adults - shoving a woman off a Metrobus in D.C. The woman, Kyla Thurston, spoke with FOX 5 and says she hopes what happened to her will compel Metro officials to find a way to keep the same thing from happening to anyone else.

"While they are the lead in the investigation, obviously, those are young people. Those are young people from our city. Those are young people who are attending schools here in our city," Contee said.

He said seeing youth involved in incidents like this is "very disturbing."

"The city has dumped a ton of resources into making opportunities available for our young people, so that we don't find them involved in these types of situations or these types of incidents - especially violent incidents," Contee said. "Everyone has a right to be safe in the community and when we identify these types of things, we really have to get to the root of why they did what they did - but more importantly, make sure that in addition to accountability, that there's also opportunity for those young people."

"I think one - we have some young people who really need to be held accountable, and quite frankly, i don't think that they are in some instances," Contee continued. "I mean, we give chance, after chance, after chance, after chance, after chance, and at some point in order to make communities safe - young people have to sit down."

Contee said young people are starting to show up in violent crimes more so than he has seen in the past – including robberies, carjackings and homicides.

Contee said the city needs to make sure they are looking at the whole picture regarding youth crime. "What I am saying is that those who continuously commit violent acts in the community - we have to take a stronger stance in those instances."