DC police arrest 14-year-old, 16-year-old in reference to theft that left DJ useless

WASHINGTON – D.C. police have arrested two teen boys in reference to a brutal assault and theft that left a widely known DJ useless. 

At a press convention Friday, Metropolitan Police Division Chief Pamela Smith mentioned a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old have been arrested on Thursday in reference to the demise of Bryan Smith. Police mentioned they’re additionally suspects in three related theft offenses that occurred the identical day. 

READ MORE: Household of beloved DJ speaks out after theft leaves him in coma

Officers say they imagine the suspects attacked and robbed Smith as he walked house after his shift early within the morning of October 27. He died after spending greater than every week in a coma. The Northern Virginia Medical Examiner’s Workplace is working to find out the trigger and method of demise.

“Whereas nothing can undo this mindless loss, we hope right this moment’s arrest provides some measure of justice and a step towards therapeutic,” MPD Pamela Smith mentioned. “We’re right here to ship a really clear message right this moment. In case you commit violence in our metropolis, we’ll discover you and we’ll maintain you accountable.”

Smith was discovered severely injured and unconscious within the 500 block of T Road. He was robbed of his cellphone, his pockets, and his bank cards. He died on the hospital a bit over every week later. Lela Sandoval, Smith’s mom, informed FOX 5 Friday a detective referred to as her within the morning to replace her on the case. In a earlier interview, Sandoval mentioned her son fought laborious for his life whereas within the hospital, however issues in his lung developed and a call was made to take away him from life help.

“They killed my son over a bank card with a really low stability and a mobile phone,” Sandoval mentioned final week. “These individuals have taken away my entire total life.”

Shortly after the assault on Smith, police say the suspects assaulted and tried to rob others within the 1900 block of 14th Road. Investigators say the teenagers robbed an individual within the 1800 block of Vermont Avenue and attacked one other particular person within the 900 block of Rhode Island Avenue.

“I’ve mentioned this on many events. Younger individuals ought to be at house. They need to be parentified by an grownup who know the place they’re always,” Chief Smith mentioned.

Jeffrey Willis has lived by U Road for 21 and mentioned there have been regarding points involving younger suspects over the previous few years.

“It’s a tragic new norm that these younger individuals. A lot of them any individual who’s been attacked, who might have been killed. It’s part of their lives and it’s simply not the way in which it ought to be,” Willis mentioned.

He added, he wished to see police implement the curfew stricter.

“You may actually get the younger individuals off the road, however that’s going to take an enormous change within the perspective. That we’re not going to ask them, we’re going to get them off the streets when it’s essentially the most harmful time late at evening. It’s not their coverage to make. I do know it’s the politicians, however I might hope MPD would say to them that is what we have to defend younger individuals and the remainder of the neighborhood,” he mentioned.