Residents of the Southeast D.C. neighborhood of Congress Heights are crying out and calling for justice after an 18-year-old was fatally shot by police. The incident occurred early Wednesday evening in Ward 8, pursuant to a call to authorities about a man brandishing a gun.
According to police accounts, now being disputed by community members, Deon Kay, 18, was one of several people surrounding a vehicle when officers responded to the report. As police approached the car, a foot chase began when Kay and another “suspect” began to flee. Information obtained by the Washington Post based on bodycam footage suggests that as one of the officers ran past the car to pursue the fleeing subjects, Kay pulled a gun from his waist. The cop fired at Kay, striking him in the chest.
D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and Kay was taken to a nearby hospital to receive medical attention for his life-threatening injury. “After all life-saving efforts failed, the suspect was pronounced dead,” the D.C. Metro Police Department reports. “The other suspect made good their escape and was not apprehended.”
Preliminary information in reference to an MPD Officer Involved Shooting in the 200 blk of Orange St SE. An adult male was taken to a local hospital. A firearm has been recovered on the scene. Chief Newsham will provide an update momentarily.
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) September 2, 2020
Bodycam footage from the incident has been reviewed and is expected to be released as early as Thursday. Police say Kay’s handgun was recovered at the scene, as was another pistol belonging to a 19-year-old who resides in Southeast, D.C.
According to WaPo, Kay turned 18 last month and lived with his mother, Natasha Kay, less than a mile from where he was shot. Speaking to the outlet hours after the shooting, his mother said police did not divulge much regarding the case. She is now left to mourn her son with very little answers.
Deon Kay (Photo: Twitter)
On Twitter, thousands of posts mentioning the teen sent his name and story trending on the social media platform with the hashtag #JusticeforDeon. In D.C., nearly 100 demonstrators, including Kay’s family members, gathered outside of the 7th District police station to protest the department’s use of force.
“I’m tired of that shyt because my tax money just paid for that young man to get murdered…We are paying them to assassinate us. Its not right” 
18 y/o black child just became another hashtag #JusticeForDeon in DCDeon Kay was murdered today by policepic.twitter.com/KXizUwD5ZY
— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) September 3, 2020 Moved by emotions, a D.C. resident says police assassinated Deon Kay. He encouraged people to vote to create change in the neighborhood.
One D.C. resident who converged on the scene said the shooting was an assassination. “I’m tired of that s— because my tax money just paid for that young man to get murdered,” he emotionally stated. He encouraged people to go to the polls on November 3 to create change in the neighborhood. “We are paying them to assassinate us,” he added. “It’s not right”
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