Both mother and child are safe after an early Friday morning carjacking outside Watkins Elementary School (420 12th St. SE) just before 8:30 a.m.
In an email, First District Commander Morgan Kane said that while a woman was dropping a child at school, she observed what was believed to be theft from a car outside the Watkins building. Kane said that the woman exited her vehicle and asked the suspects, who were in a silver hatchback, to return the property to the car it was taken from.
While this discussion was occurring, the suspect exited the hatchback and crossed the street to the woman’s vehicle and entered through the driver’s side door, which had been left ajar, Kane said. A five-year-old child was sitting in the back seat.
Witnesses said that the woman ran across the street and tried to get back into the vehicle, but only made it halfway inside before he drove off. He dragged her about ten feet before accelerating so fast that she fell out. The suspect took the vehicle with the child inside.
Police were contacted immediately, but before they could arrive an officer on patrol noticed the speeding car and tried to pull it over. The car was recovered at 16th and E Streets SE shortly thereafter.
The officer did not see the suspect, who was neither in the car or near to it when it was located. He is still at large.
Both the child and the mother are safe. The child was able to describe the incident to officers, witnesses said.
There is no lookout for a suspect, but there is a lookout for a vehicle. The suspect got into a silver Nissan 4-door hatchback with stolen Maryland plates 3DC2612 driven by another person and last seen traveling north of D Street on 16th Street SE.
Police are still investigating and are interviewing parents, staff and any potential witnesses. This article will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Anyone with information on the incident or photos or video from the area should call First District Detectives at 202-299-2025 or the MPDC Command Information Center at 202-727-9099. You may also send an anonymous text (including any video or pictures, if you have them) to 50411.
Crime Solvers of Washington DC currently offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in the District of Columbia.
This story has been updated to include information about the reaction of the parent and the vehicle lookout. Initial reports from MPD indicated the carjacking had taken place at gunpoint. It is unclear at this time if or when a weapon was involved. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
The title of this article has also been re-worded to reflect the community’s primary concern: the safety of the child.
