Teen fatally shot on Yuma Street SE

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A teen was fatally shot in Southeast DC on Friday, marking a deadly start to the Fourth of July weekend.

The teen, who has not been identified, was shot outside of a residence in the 800 block of Yuma Street SE just after 2:30 pm, police said. They did not identify the victim or give his exact age but said they believe he was a teenager.

Police were on the scene investigating the incident Friday afternoon. Family were also nearby, grief-stricken.

“If you can imagine having one of your loved ones taken from you, and certainly so violently and absolutely before their time, it’s unimaginable,” said Andre Wright, an assistant DC police chief.

The killing comes at a moment in DC where homicides are surging and the city is pouring resources into public safety. Thirteen people 18 or younger have been slain this year in the city.

Just a day earlier, DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and other government officials announced new programs aimed at preventing violence this weekend. One of the initiatives will send teams of non-law enforcement officials into areas identified as high-risk on Sunday and Monday nights, with a mandate of working to mediate tension before it turns deadly.

The block on Yuma Street SE where the teen was killed Friday is not one of the specific areas assigned to a “Safety Go Team,” police said. But multiple of these teams will be stationed throughout the area, according to authorities.

On Friday afternoon, council member Trayon White Sr. (D-Ward 8), community mediators and neighbors gathered near the black tent where the teen lay deceased. Wails and sobs could be heard in the distance.

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