Juvenile Sentenced to Restricted Commitment for Two Shooting Incidents

By Jeff Levine - December 19, 2023
Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Despite a youth defendant pleading for another chance, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno sentenced the juvenile to two years in the custody of the District’s Department of Youth and Rehabilitative Services (DYRS).

The action in a Dec. 15 hearing means the agency must detain the juvenile for the entire sentence.  

“When young people make a decision to carry a firearm, people get hurt,” said Judge Salerno in a courtroom crowded with multi-generational members of the defendant’s family. 

A key factor in the sentence, said the judge, was that the juvenile pleaded guilty to two shooting incidents.  The judge continued saying “the only way to make [rehabilitation] happen is commitment.”

According to prosecutors, the defendant fired a gun into the air on Feb. 22, on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace, SE. There were no reported injuries. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were able to identify the juvenile as the shooter from surveillance footage. 

Also, on June 9, the defendant fired at a vehicle on the 2200 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. The driver, a woman, suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound to her back. MPD officers identified the defendant as the shooter from a still-shot that was recovered from surveillance footage that depicted the incident.

He was arrested on Sept. 15 and charged with several counts, including assault with intent to kill. 

He accepted a deal that required him to plead guilty to felony assault, two misdemeanor counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, two misdemeanor counts of possession of unregistered ammunition, and two misdemeanor counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm, for his involvement in both incidents. He is required to pay $1,200 in restitution for the June 9 incident. 

In arguing for commitment, the prosecutor said the victim suffered lifelong physical and acute mental injuries including PTSD, flashbacks and abiding fear. An aggravating factor is that a small child was in the car and just missed the line of fire. 

In the prosecution’s view, commitment until the youth’s nineteenth birthday would provide the kind of intensive help enabling the young man to “turn his life around.” 

Speaking on the youth’s behalf, his attorney said his family is “deeply, deeply, deeply committed” to the boy.  She described him as bright and enthusiastic in spite of a troubled childhood. The best path to recovery said his lawyer was to return the youth to school where he is doing well and provide adequate support services.  

“He wants to show the court you can trust him,” said his lawyer.

Speaking on his own behalf, the juvenile said he was “so, so sorry.”  He talked about plans to join the AirForce, start a business and pursue his musical passion.  He added he wants to spend the holidays with his family. 

After the judge’s ruling, one young woman sitting with the family was overcome with emotion and left the courtroom.