Ex-D.C. Govt. Worker Found Guilty After Killing Unarmed Boy, 13, He’d Accused of Breaking into Cars

Mar. 15, 2025

Karon Blake.Photo: Go Fund Me

A former Washington, D.C. government worker has been found guilty of manslaughter in theshooting death of an unarmed teenage boyhe had accused of breaking into cars in his neighborhood, authorities said.

According to theAssociated Press,The Washington Postand aDC News Now, Lewis was a longtime D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation employee and was placed on administrative leave on Jan. 31, 2023, after surrendering to police in connection with the case.

Lewis argued he acted in self-defense when he shot at two young children — one of whom was Blake — he believed were breaking into cars in his Northeast, D.C., neighborhood at around 4 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2023, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Lewis, who was armed with a fully-loaded registered handgun, was seen on video leaving his house and shooting in the direction of two children, hitting a car that one was driving. Blake then “ran in Lewis’ direction” and Lewis fired two shots at Blake, killing him, according to the release.

“Lewis claimed that he acted in self-defense because the two people that he initially fired at threatened him,” the release states.

Lewis testified during the trial that he went outside his home to investigate after hearing noises and seeing someone he believed was tampering with cars,NBC 4 Washingtonreports. He claimed in court that he feared for his life and opened fire after seeing Blake run towards him, according to the outlet.

“I’m sorry! I’m just a kid!” Blake can be heard repeatedly saying in the video footage shown in court, per the AP. The boy was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after the shooting,police previously said.

However, prosecutors denied Lewis’ claim of self-defense, saying that he didn’t wait to see whether Blake was unarmed, DC News Now reports.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The shooting sparked outrage in the area after misinformation about the suspect’s identity was spread online. At the time, former Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee IIIcited the ongoing investigationas the reason why the gunman’s identity was not immediately made public.

He mentioned during aJanuary 2023 press conferencethat the police department became aware of photos that were circulating on social media showing “people who have nothing to do with this case, and people are making allegations centered around race, and it’s wrong.” The former police chief later confirmed that the gunman is Black.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also criticized Lewis' actions and encouraged people to call 911 instead of taking the law into their own hands, according to NBC 4 Washington.

According to aGoFundMelaunched in the wake of his death, Blake was remembered as a “quiet and inquisitive scholar who loved fashion and football.” Loved ones also said on the fundraiser that he was a student at Brookland Middle School.

Lewis was found guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, committed against a minor, prosecutors said.

Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 25. According to prosecutors, he faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.

source: people.com