Washington, D.C
Ex-D.C. Govt. Worker Found Guilty After Killing Unarmed Boy, 13, He’d Accused of Breaking into Cars
Jason Lewis, 42, argued that he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot 13-year-old Karon Blake
A former Washington, D.C. government worker has been found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed teenage boy he had accused of breaking into cars in his neighborhood, authorities said.
Jason Lewis, 42, was handed down the guilty verdict by a D.C. Superior Court jury on Friday, Aug. 16, in connection with the 2023 killing of 13-year-old Karon Blake, according to a press release shared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The jury acquitted Lewis of a second-degree murder charge.
According to the Associated Press, The Washington Post and a DC News Now, Lewis was a longtime D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation employee and was placed on administrative leave on Jan. 31, 2023, after surrendering to police in connection with the case.
Lewis argued he acted in self-defense when he shot at two young children — one of whom was Blake — he believed were breaking into cars in his Northeast, D.C., neighborhood at around 4 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2023, according to prosecutors.
D.C., Govt. Worker Accused of Fatally Shooting 13-Year-Old Black Boy He Claimed Was Trying to Break into Cars
Prosecutors said Lewis, who was armed with a fully-loaded registered handgun, was seen on video leaving his house and shooting in the direction of two children, hitting a car that one was driving. Blake then “ran in Lewis’ direction” and Lewis fired two shots at Blake, killing him, according to the release.
“Lewis claimed that he acted in self-defense because the two people that he initially fired at threatened him,” the release states.
Lewis testified during the trial that he went outside his home to investigate after hearing noises and seeing someone he believed was tampering with cars, NBC 4 Washington reports. He claimed in court that he feared for his life and opened fire after seeing Blake run towards him, according to the outlet.
“I’m sorry! I’m just a kid!” Blake can be heard repeatedly saying in the video footage shown in court, per the AP. The boy was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after the shooting, police previously said.
However, prosecutors denied Lewis’ claim of self-defense, saying that he didn’t wait to see whether Blake was unarmed, DC News Now reports.
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The shooting sparked outrage in the area after misinformation about the suspect’s identity was spread online. At the time, former Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee III cited the ongoing investigation as the reason why the gunman’s identity was not immediately made public.
He mentioned during a January 2023 press conference that the police department became aware of photos that were circulating on social media showing “people who have nothing to do with this case, and people are making allegations centered around race, and it’s wrong.” The former police chief later confirmed that the gunman is Black.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also criticized Lewis’ actions and encouraged people to call 911 instead of taking the law into their own hands, according to NBC 4 Washington.
According to a GoFundMe launched in the wake of his death, Blake was remembered as a “quiet and inquisitive scholar who loved fashion and football.” Loved ones also said on the fundraiser that he was a student at Brookland Middle School.
Lewis was found guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, committed against a minor, prosecutors said.
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 25. According to prosecutors, he faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.
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Washington, D.C
AAPI Data Releases 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, Highlighting the Growing Influence of AAPI Communities Across All 50 States and Washington, D.C. – AAPI Data
MEDIA CONTACT:
Amanda Ong
press@aapidata.com
AAPI Data Releases 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, Highlighting the Growing Influence of AAPI Communities Across All 50 States and Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC – Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) and AAPI Data today released the 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets, a comprehensive set of demographic and voter data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Updated every two years, the fact sheets provide policymakers, advocates, researchers, journalists, campaigns, and community organizations with essential data on the nation’s fastest-growing racial demographic and voter bloc.
“AAPI voters are shaping elections nationwide, yet our communities are still too often overlooked or misunderstood,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIAVote. “These fact sheets give organizers, policymakers, media, and advocates the context they need to build more informed, effective, and inclusive engagement strategies and to better understand AAPI communities’ growing impact on American democracy.”
“Our communities are growing rapidly in places well beyond the Northeast and the Pacific West,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, Founder and Executive Director of AAPI Data. “It is critical for news media, funders, and civic engagement organizations to use these updated findings to ensure accuracy and efficacy in their work.”
The 2026 State Fact Sheets include state-specific information on:
- AAPI population and eligible voters
- Population growth trends
- Citizenship and immigration data
- Language access and English proficiency
- Economic indicators, including poverty and health insurance coverage
- Geographic concentrations by county
- Voter demographics and civic engagement
The fact sheets are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and include both monoracial and multiracial AAPI populations. Together, these data provide a more complete picture of AAPI communities and equip decision-makers with the information needed to better serve and engage one of the country’s fastest-growing populations.
The 2026 AAPI State Fact Sheets are available for free and may be downloaded individually by state or as a combined report at: https://apiavote.org/policy-and-research/aapi-demographics-by-state/. The factsheets can also be found on the AAPI Data website: https://aapidata.com/demographics/2026-aapi-voter-state-fact-sheets
About AAPI Data
AAPI Data is a national research and policy organization producing accurate data to support community narratives that drive action toward enduring solutions for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Learn more at aapidata.com.
About APIAVote
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen and sustain a culture of civic engagement. See our website for more information at https://www.apiavote.org/
Washington, D.C
Kronenwetter mom in D.C. to remember son, victims of internet crimes
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAW) – It’s a day for gathering and remembering victims of internet crimes.
The parents of Bradyn Bohn, the D.C. Everest teen who was a victim of sextortion, are in Washington, D.C. for the event.
A sign with Bradyn’s picture, his name, ‘forever 15′– along with too many more– sit outside the capitol.
It’s the inaugural ‘Social Media Victims Remembrance Day.’ A number of lawmakers were on hand. Bradyn’s mom, Brittney Bird, says Congress needs to choose families over big tech.
“My first thought is it’s absolutely heartbreaking,” she said. ”None of us should be here. These groups have been doing this for coming up on four years now. And there hasn’t been a change. If four years ago there would have been a change, my son would be here. Countless children would still be here. It’s heartbreaking, but at the same time there’s strength in numbers. So there’s that strength. And it gives us hope, you know, that things will change and that we’ve got each other.”
Bradyn died by suicide in March 2025 after a sextortion scheme. The efforts of his parents helped lead to the creation of Bradyn’s Law, signed into law last December. It established sextortion as a new crime, and imposes severe penalties on perpetrators.
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Washington, D.C
First Nebraska civics bee champion crowned, will head to Washington, D.C. for national competition
The state competition, which was put on by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, had three rounds. The first two rounds included 20 multiple choice questions about various historical documents, court cases and civics concepts.
In the final round, the top five students gave short pitches about the essays they submitted on improving a problem in their community. Bernal wrote about the Tyson Plant closure after she visited Lexington in December.
“Things were really starting to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, the Tyson plant is actually closing,’” Bernal said. “Around two weeks later, during the first day back from winter break, my social studies teacher said we’re going to be writing an essay about a problem we see in our community. I thought, ‘Wow, this is something really positive I could use my voice for.’”
In her essay, Bernal said she wanted to bring awareness to the closure and host job fairs for those impacted. Other topics included student mental health, impacts of flooding and the childcare crisis.
Tara Lea, executive vice president of partnerships and programs for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said more than 500 students submitted essays across Nebraska, making the state fifth in the nation for participation and first per capita.
“We had no idea what to expect when we signed up to do this,” Lea said. “We were just excited all 50 states were doing it. We were proud to be one of them, but Nebraska showed up.”
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