Washington, DC, metropolitan police gave an update Tuesday morning on a shooting that left 13-year-old Karon Blake dead, who was accused of breaking into cars over the weekend, in the northeast area of the city. .
Chief Robert Contee spoke about the Saturday morning shooting for the first time Tuesday to address “misinformation” and “assumptions” about the incident floating around in the community.
“There has been too much misinformation surrounding this incident, too many people have made assumptions about this case, and it is unfair to the grieving family,” Contee said. “Spreading inaccurate information is dangerous, reckless, and has the potential to negatively affect the investigation and relationships in our community.”
He added that the department understands the community’s desire to know the details of the shooting, but said that sharing specific information could jeopardize the integrity of the case as the investigation is active.
WASHINGTON, DC 13-YEAR-OLD BOY SHOT TO DEAD BY HOMEOWNER AFTER ALLEGEDLY OPENING CARS
The Metropolitan Police released a photo of Karon Blake in August 2021 when she was reported missing. He was 11 years old at the time.
(Metropolitan Police)
The shooting took place around 4 am on Saturday, January 7, in the 1000 block of Quincy Street Northeast, which is not far from Brookland High School, where Blake reportedly studied. An earlier Metro police report said Blake was confronted by a property owner in the area after he allegedly broke into vehicles along the street.
The homeowner and Blake were involved in an “interaction” before the homeowner drew his firearm and shot Blake. He was reportedly performing CPR on the teen when police arrived on the scene. Blake later died at the hospital.
DC authorities were also searching for two more minors who were reportedly seen fleeing the area at the time of the shooting.
The Metropolitan Police have not identified the owner of the home beyond stating that he is a black male with a concealed carry permit and a legally registered firearm. Contee said the man is not a law enforcement officer, adding that it’s normal to hide one’s identity in investigations like this.
“People are making accusations focused on race, and that’s wrong,” Contee said.
TEEN KILLED IN INDIANAPOLIS MALL IDENTIFIED PRINT
Metro Police Chief Robert Contee is critical of those spreading rumors and making assumptions in connection with the shooting death of 13-year-old Karon Blake.
(Zorro 5 DC/Facebook)
The chief did not say how many times Blake was shot or where. He also did not share any details about the confrontation and how it led to the shooting.
In DC, it is illegal to use deadly force in defense of a crime against property. With that law in mind, Fox 5 DC asked Contee what would make the shooting legally justifiable. He said that “the person has to be afraid for his life or for the life of another” in response.
Contee said the facts will be scrutinized before being presented to a grand jury to see if the details are reasonable. The jury will then make the call on the charges, if any.
According to Fox 5 DC, it was difficult to obtain a warrant for the owner of the house because the only person with details about what happened was him.
On Tuesday, police were still gathering evidence and reportedly discussing the surveillance video with a community member.
TEEN KILLED IN INDIANAPOLIS MALL IDENTIFIED PRINT
A Google Earth image shows a sign in the 1000 block of Quincy Street in northeast Washington, DC
(Google Earth)
The protests were held near Quincy Street on Tuesday night as participants chanted “justice for Karon” and other phrases through the streets. Before Tuesday’s press conference, Fox 5 DC spoke with a man named Sean Long, who said he was Blake’s grandfather.
“It’s just sad. It doesn’t make sense. Kids, I know kids that are out of control. They kill each other, black on black crime, but getting into a car or pulling someone out of a person’s car, you don’t deserve get killed,” Long said.
Long said he doesn’t want to see more violence as the family prepares for a funeral. He also told Fox 5 that he felt bad for the shooter since he now has to live with the fact that he killed a child.
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The family also calls for justice and for the shooter to be arrested immediately.
