According to a report by AOL on Monday, August 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C., Jason Lewis, a former employee of the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter after the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Karon Blake in January 2023.
The events leading to the death of Karon Blake unfolded in the Northeast neighborhood of Washington, D.C., on January 7, 2023.
According to court records and testimonies, Jason Lewis, a 42-year-old long-time government worker, was awoken by noises outside his home around 4 a.m.
Believing that someone was tampering with cars in the neighborhood, Lewis armed himself with a registered handgun and stepped outside to investigate.
Prosecutors presented video evidence during the trial showing Lewis leaving his home and firing shots at two young boys, one of whom was Karon Blake.
The shots were aimed at a car that one of the boys was driving, but when Blake exited the vehicle and ran in Lewis’s direction, Lewis fired again, striking the unarmed teenager.
“I’m sorry! I’m just a kid!” Blake reportedly cried out as he was shot. Despite his pleas, the bullets struck him, and he was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to a local hospital.
Lewis was charged with second-degree murder but was acquitted of that charge by a D.C. Superior Court jury on August 16, 2024.
However, the jury found him guilty of voluntary manslaughter while armed, a lesser charge that still carries significant consequences.
In addition, Lewis was convicted of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
The defense argued that Lewis acted in self-defense, fearing for his life when he saw Blake running toward him.
Lewis testified that he was reacting to what he believed was a threat, stating that he felt he had no choice but to fire his weapon.
His attorneys emphasized that Lewis had no prior criminal record and had been a respected member of the community, working in public service for years.
However, the prosecution challenged this narrative, arguing that Lewis did not adequately assess the situation before resorting to lethal force.
Prosecutors highlighted that Blake was unarmed and only 13 years old. They contended that Lewis’s decision to shoot was not justifiable under the circumstances and that his actions were reckless, leading to the unnecessary death of a child.
Former Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee III addressed these issues during a press conference in January 2023, urging the public to refrain from spreading unverified information.
Contee also confirmed that the shooter was Black, a fact that some had questioned given the racial tensions often associated with such cases.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also weighed in on the incident, criticizing Lewis’ actions and advocating for the proper channels of law enforcement to be used in such situations.
“People should call 911, not take the law into their own hands,” Bowser said.
A GoFundMe page created in his memory described him as a “quiet and inquisitive scholar who loved fashion and football.”
Friends and family remember Karon as a bright young boy with a promising future, whose life was tragically cut short.
Jason Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25, 2024, and he faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.
