A teenager accepted a plea deal extended by prosecutors before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on Aug. 29.
Travis Thomas, 17, was originally charged with assault with intent to commit another offense, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm for his involvement in a shooting that occurred on April 20 at a playground on the 5400 block of C Street, SE. An individual sustained injuries to the head during the incident.
Thomas is charged under Title 16, which gives prosecutors the option of trying juveniles as adults for certain serious crimes.
During the hearing, Megan Allburn, Thomas’ attorney, alerted Judge Kravitz of Thomas’ intent to accept a plea deal. It required Thomas to plead guilty to assault with intent to kill while armed in exchange for a dismissal of all other charges and the prosecution not seeking an indictment.
Thomas was also required to plead guilty to two counts of carjacking for his involvement in two previously uncharged incidents, which occurred on Oct. 30, 2024 at the 400 block of 14th Street, SE and on Nov. 17, 2024 at the 1300 block of Massachusetts Avenue, SE.
According to the prosecution, had the cases gone to trial, they could have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on the days of the carjackings, Thomas and an associate stole the two victims’ vehicles threatening them with a gun.
The prosecution also argued that the evidence would prove that Thomas shot an individual on the forehead at an elementary school playground on April 20, and Thomas had the “apparent ability to injure” the individual, and intended to kill them.
“What was in your mind at the time you fired?” Judge Kravitz asked Thomas, who responded “to kill.” However, Allburn and Thomas explained Thomas’ intent was not to kill the individual that was shot, but rather another individual at the playground.
Thomas, who previously told Judge Kravitz “I don’t want to be a part of the percentage of Black men locked up, I want to be a part of the percentage that succeeds,” highlighted he recently received a high school diploma from the Maya Angelou program at the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS).
Parties are slated to reconvene Nov. 14.
