Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Wednesday that the man who shot and killed a 13-year-old boy in Northeast Washington is a longtime employee of the D.C. government. Residents of the surrounding community have been pressing for the man's name to be made public.
Bowser spoke after meeting with school officials about the safety of students on campuses across the city. The boy, Karon Blake, was not shot at a school or while traveling to or from one. Even so, the strong public calls for action after his death became part of the discussion.
"It's a horrible situation. We have a 13-year-old that died, and we don't have all of the facts," Bowser said.
The mayor said she understands why people in the Brookland neighborhood want more information about Saturday's shooting, especially the identity of the shooter. She nonetheless backed police chief Robert Contee's request that the public be patient while his investigators collect facts and while the U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C. decides whether to bring charges.
"That is the very uncomfortable place we're at, but it is also the necessary place to get to just decisions … Unfortunately that's not always fast," Bowser said.
She said the man, who told police he shot Blake multiple times, has worked for the city for many years and does not hold a public safety job. Bowser declined to name his agency but said he has been placed on administrative leave for the duration of the investigation.
Investigators have said that when officers reached Quincy Street Northeast in the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 7, the shooter was performing CPR on Blake. Police said the man confronted the teenager after allegedly seeing him break into a car. Blake had been accused of breaking into cars.
On Tuesday, Contee said the man holds a concealed carry permit and had registered his firearm with the city. He added that he had no plans at this point to revoke either license, both of which are approved by D.C. police.
