DC's teen carjacking crisis and the complex blame game leaders are playing
WASHINGTON - Two teens are in custody after a string of carjackings across the District. One of them is being charged as an adult.
"If we have children who are doing carjackings, this is probably not a single one that they’ve done or have been arrested for," said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
A 16-year-old is being charged as an adult in six carjackings over the past two months. And a 15-year-old boy is in custody, suspected in four carjackings between Oct. 21 and Oct. 26.
In three of those incidents – the 15-year-old was armed with a gun.
"We are working very feverishly with our court systems and partners in this space when it comes to guns," said Acting Police Chief Pamela Smith.
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Many in the District question the court system and the mayor’s Department of Juvenile Youth Rehabilitation Services.
The agency’s youth services center has 88 beds. According to the department's population sheet there are 92 juveniles at the facility, putting them over capacity.
In a statement to FOX 5, DYRS says it is "taking every provision to expand our residential placement options for youth under our care. This includes increasing the number of beds in our existing shelter homes, actively seeking additional local group and shelter home providers, and exploring out-of-state placement alternatives for committed youth."
FOX 5 also reached out to the Office of Attorney General Brian Schwalb for insight on the issue.
"After our office prosecutes cases - it’s critical that DYRS and court social services be adequately resourced and staffed in order to keep kids and staff safe, in order to provide high quality, intensive services, and in order to make sure kids don’t re-offend," the AG said.
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In several recent carjackings, teens who were arrested and released found themselves involved in the same crime or worse.
"DYRS does not make that decision," Mayor Bowser said. "It is the judges right to say, ‘I prefer shelter or I’m going to send the child home.’ The child was sent home; the child is now not with us."
"It’s tragic, it’s a tragedy!" said Chief Smith when she gave an update on 13-year-old Bernard Toney, Jr. — the middle schooler who was fatally shot during an attempted carjacking on Saturday, Oct. 28.
Mayor Bowser: 'Guns, carjackings, 13-year-olds, a recipe for tragedies'
The 13-year-old suspect, killed by an off-duty federal security officer during what D.C. authorities say was an attempted carjacking, has been identified as a middle school student.
According to The Washington Post, Toney, Jr. had nine prior carjacking and robbery charges just weeks before the fatal shooting. He attended Kelly Middle School in Northeast, and his principal said that he "loved to make people laugh."
D.C. police are searching for a suspect involved in the attempted carjacking on D Street and offering a reward of up to $10,000 for anyone who can help lead them to an arrest.
Check out the surveillance photo of that individual below:
Photo via Metropolitan Police Department
Read the full statements sent to FOX 5 below:
"The primary focus of DYRS is to offer the finest continuum of care for court-involved youth and their families. We are dedicated to empowering our youth, families, and community and are taking every provision to expand our residential placement options for youth under our care. This includes increasing the number of beds in our existing shelter homes, actively seeking additional local group and shelter home providers, and exploring out-of-state placement alternatives for committed youth. Our unwavering commitment to our mission means that we will continue to provide the necessary support in the most nurturing and least restrictive environment while ensuring public safety remains a top priority." – Sam Abed, DYRS Director
"After our office prosecutes cases – which we do for every violent crime where we have sufficient evidence - it’s critical that DYRS and Court Social Services be adequately resourced and staffed in order to keep kids and staff safe, in order to provide high quality, intensive services, and in order to make sure kids don’t re-offend." - Attorney General Brian Schwalb