Victim of armed carjacking in NW DC speaks out: 'Something needs to be addressed'

WASHINGTON - The woman shot in an armed carjacking in northwest D.C. on Monday says she was "in shock." 

The woman shot during an armed carjacking in Northwest D.C. Monday speaks with FOX 5 from her hospital bed. She still asked not to be identified for safety concerns.

"They barely missed my artery on my knee," said the victim who also told FOX 5, "At first I was in shock. I was just like naaa… He had a gun but he had a weird red part of it and gun—I thought maybe it was just a kid to rob me or something. So I get out of the car, but then he shoots me in the leg as if I wasn’t moving fast enough."

The woman was shot in the 1400 block of Newton Street NW in the Columbia Heights neighborhood shortly after 1 p.m. on Monday. The victim says she had just pulled over and was waiting to pick up a friend when a suspect opened the driver-side door of her SUV and showed a handgun.

Police said the victim told police she leaned out of the vehicle, attempting to close the door.

After being shot, police said the victim fell to the ground. The suspect got in the driver's seat and reportedly sped-off westbound.

The victim thanked the firefighters who quickly ran to her aid. Engine 11 is right down the street.

The victim tells FOX 5 she was shot in the knee. The bullet did not damage any veins or arteries but says the bullet fractured her knee.

She also thanked police for their quick investigation. MPD’s helicopter "Falcon" tracked the victim’s stolen SUV to Southeast D.C. The silver SUV appeared to have struck a utility pole.

Police arrested Tavon Owens, 29, of Southeast, DC. He’s facing several charges, including Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Gun), Armed Carjacking (Gun), Felon in Possession, Leaving after Colliding – Property Damage and Fleeing from a Law Enforcement Officer in a Motor Vehicle.

"Very surprising," said the victim describing her experience, "Honestly, I feel like Columbia Heights and Northwest – places in general in D.C. are starting to get more violent but especially during the daytime. I just seems very abrasive – very in your face like nobody cares."

"Something needs to be addressed, maybe more on the political level with the mayor because something its too many recent shootings recently, and carjackings – I think it’s a top-down issue," she added.

FOX 5 reached out to the Mayor’s office for comment.

Carjackings became such an issue in the District since the pandemic, D.C. Police created a data-page dedicated to just carjacking stats. So far this year, D.C. has seen at least 459 carjackings as of Tuesday, with around 74% of them involving guns.

Owens is expected to appear in court on Tuesday for arraignment. FOX 5 will provide updates as they become available.