Washington, D.C. (Tuesday, January 31, 2023) – DC police have released the name of the DC government employee who authorities say fatally shot 13-year-old Karon Blake on January 7th. Police have identified the gunman as 41 year old Jason Lewis of NE, DC. He’s been charged with 2nd degree murder in the killing of Blake. Lewis turned himself into police earlier today.
Police Chief Robert Contee held a press conference this morning making the announcement. The shooting happened around 4am in the Brookland section of the city in the 100 block of Quincy Street, NE. It brought outrage in the community when initial reports said Karon was shot as he was tampering with cars. Community leaders and several lawmakers called it vigilante justice by a person more interested in protecting property than children. Chief Contee confirmed that Karon and several other teens were attempting to break into cars. But says there was no confrontation between the teen and Lewis prior to the shooting. “Mr. Lewis exited his resident and fired a shot. He was standing outside his door. It appears the first shot was fired at a getaway vehicle. It appears Karon was trying to make his way back to that vehicle ,” said Contee
Chief Contee says there was no confrontation and no real words exchanged between the teen and Lewis. Contee says it was video that helped them come to a conclusion to charge Lewis who is said to be an employee in the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. He’s expected to make his initial appearance in DC Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon. According to the Washington Post, Lewis’s attorney is Lee Smith who is quoted as saying “the public will see, no crime was committed.”
Police say video from Lewis’s property shows Karon running in front of Lewis’s condo as Lewis fires. According to the warrant, the teen can be heard repeatedly yelling, ” I am sorry followed by, Please don’t and No. I am a kid… I am only 12.” “Here we have a kid who is dead and shouldn’t be. Now we have to go through the course of judicial process,” added Contee.
