On Tuesday morning, Washington, D.C., Police Chief Robert J. Contee III talked about a shooting that took place over the weekend, which resulted in the death of Karon Blake, a thirteen-year-old male.
At a press conference, Contee called out the “misinformation” happening and empathized with the people in the area.
“There’s been too much misinformation swirling around this incident, too many people have made assumptions about this case, and it is unfair to the grieving family,” Contee said. “Spreading of inaccurate information is dangerous, reckless, and has the potential to adversely impact the investigation and the relationships in our community.”
“We recognize the community’s desire to get the details of this incident, but we must also acknowledge that the ongoing nature of the investigation prevents us from sharing specifics that could jeopardize the integrity of this case,” Contee said, but did not provide certain information.
He said that there will be a complete review into the incident, which he said was a “tragic death of a son of our city.”
“It’s not about getting it fast but about getting it right,” Contee said, noting, “This process takes time.”
“People are making allegations centered around race, and that is wrong,” Contee said.
The police chief did not announce the name of the man who shot the teen, but said that he is African American and is not connected to law enforcement. The Washington Post reported that anonymous sources said he is a public employee for Washington, D.C., which Mayor Muriel Bowser said was true on Wednesday. Bowser noted he has been placed on administrative leave.
Right before four in the morning on Saturday, Blake was shot. Law enforcement has noted that it does not appear that Blake had a weapon. On Tuesday, Contee also said that they had not gotten a weapon off of Blake. Law enforcement has also noted that it seems as if two additional people fled the scene.
A release said that “[d]etectives’ investigation at the scene revealed that a male inside of a residence, at the listed location, heard noises and observed someone that appeared to be tampering with vehicles.”
“The male resident went outside, armed with a registered firearm, to further investigate. There was an interaction between a juvenile male and the male resident,” it added. “During the interaction, the male resident discharged his firearm striking the victim.”
A police report reportedly noted that Blake had several wounds from a gun. He passed away at a nearby hospital.
Contee also said that the person who shot Blake called the police afterward and was giving him CPR when law enforcement got there. The man also had a concealed-carry permit and legally had a gun.
Contee said that a grand jury will likely decide whether or not to bring charges against the person. Police have also stated that they are operating alongside prosecutors to determine if criminal charges should be put forward.