Two adolescents and a 12-year-old were apprehended on Saturday evening in the vicinity of Eastern Market on suspicion of carjacking a ride-sharing driver.
One of the adolescents, according to DC Police, entered a ride-sharing vehicle in the 300 block of 9th Street SE, which is located precisely two blocks northeast of the Eastern Market Metro Station. According to police, the adolescent assaulted the driver and demanded that they exit the vehicle after entering. Two additional adolescents subsequently fled the scene after jumping into the vehicle.
The vehicle was subsequently located in the Randle Highlands neighborhood of Ward 8, in the 1600 block of 28th Street SE. Four suspects were observed fleeing the vehicle upon spotting police, according to the police. A total of three of them were apprehended and subsequently detained.
A 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy, and a 12-year-old boy were charged preliminary with unarmed carjacking.
The arrests coincide with the continued dramatic increase in carjackings in Washington, D.C. Since January 1 of this year, there have been 856 carjackings in the city, according to data from the DC Police as of Saturday. This is over two times the number of carjackings that occurred at this time last year. A firearm has been utilized in approximately 75% of carjackings this year, with juveniles comprising 65% of those arrested in connection with carjackings.
Vernard Toney, Jr., 13, of Southeast, was fatally shot last month while allegedly attempting to carjack an off-duty federal security officer in the vicinity of Judiciary Square. On Halloween, his alleged accomplice, a 12-year-old boy, was apprehended and indicted on suspicion of armed carjacking.
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