A Washington, DC government employee was at home on the night of January 31, when he heard noise and suspected criminal activity on the street outside his home.
At first he feared that someone may try to break into his house. He assumed some youngsters were getting into trouble and believed they were trying to flee in a getaway car.
Jason Lewis, 41, has been charged with murder in the second degree for the deadly shooting of a thirteen-year-old boy, whom he shot without direct provocation.
Lewis was taken into custody after surrendering to the police on Tuesday, January 31, according to Metropolitan Police Chief Robert J. Contee.
In a press conference on January 31, Chief Congee said law enforcement officials charged Lewis about three weeks after he allegedly shot middle school student, 13-year-old Karon Blake, to death, in the early morning hours of January 7.
According to an arrest affidavit, Lewis told police that he was in bed when he heard the noise and he went downstairs to check out what was happening.
He told the police that while still inside his house, he fired his gun at a parked vehicle. He thought the vehicle was a getaway car. When the gunshots were fired, 13-year-old Blake and another person started running. When the boy ran toward Lewis, he shot and killed him.
Police Chief Contee said that Blake had originally been running toward the getaway car, but the car went into reverse and crashed into an alley, causing Blake to run in the opposite direction, toward Lewis.
The affidavit reports that Blake begged the homeowner not to shoot him. He said he was “just a kid” and pleaded for his life, after which he collapsed as the bullet hit him.
Lewis called the police after the shooting.
Surveillance cameras recorded he awful incident and Blake can be seen running in front of Lewis’ house as the resident fires in his direction.
Blake is also heard screaming that he is sorry and begging Lewis not to shoot him.
Two other teenagers who were at the scene have not been identified.
Blake’s grandfather, Sean Long, said he was heartbroken when he heard the news, especially because his grandson begged for his life before he was shot. Long said that he and his family want the man to be convicted for the unprovoked shooting.
The community was outraged and felt that even if the boys were in the process of a crime, a child didn’t deserve to die.