In a heart-wrenching turn of events, 17-year-old Larelle Washington, a male student from Northeast, DC, tragically lost his life in December 2021. On the afternoon of Friday, December 3, 2021, at approximately 3:42 pm, the sounds of gunshots pierced the air in the 1700 block of Capitol Avenue, Northeast. Responding officers discovered Washington at the scene, suffering from a gunshot wound.
Emergency services transported the young man to a local hospital in grave condition.
For three days, he fought for his life, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries on Monday, December 6, 2021. Washington was a student at KIPP DC College Preparatory Public Charter school and was reportedly walking home when the shooting occurred. He had plans to join the Marines after his high school graduation.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch launched an investigation into the shooting. Their efforts led to a breakthrough a year later. On Friday, December 30, 2022, an arrest was made in connection with Washington's death.
The suspect, an 18-year-old male from Southwest, DC, was a juvenile at the time the crime was committed. He was taken into custody under a DC Superior Court order and has since been charged with Felony Murder. At the time of the initial reports, police had not identified a motive for the attack.
