WASHINGTON – A mother is outraged after she says two teens were attacked and robbed for their iPhone and Jordan sneakers inside a D.C. public library. 

Libraries are supposed to be a sanctuary. The Woodridge Neighborhood Library is frequented by people who are working; kids, teens, and families, they all come here to get books, check them out, go to the computers, and gain knowledge.

It’s a peaceful place, but it was not peaceful on Monday, at least for two teens who were just at the library to do some homework. 

All of a sudden, one of the victims said they wanted to come over and use the computer, you know, like people do in a library.

Suddenly, two suspects walk up to them, and demand they give them their shoes. 

To one of the teens, he says “ok, no problem.” and hands over his Air Jordans. 

Then, suddenly the other suspect turned to the other teen and said give me your phone. He also didn’t put up a fight. Instead, he reached into his pocket and handed his phone over. Then, all of a sudden, police say one of the suspects started punching the teen in the face repeatedly.

They were robbed. 

“I was very panicked; I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. I tried to find the most rational way to go through with it. And yeah, I did the best I could,” one of the teenage victims recalled. “I wasn’t sure this would ever happen in a library. I’ve been to that library for many, many, years, and I never knew something so, so horrid, could happen.

After the robbery, the suspects walked right out of the door, got in a car, and drove away. 

FOX 5 has reached out to D.C. Public Library officials, and they say that an officer is assigned to this library, but the officer was on the first floor and the robbery happened on the second floor. D.C. Public Library officials said they are looking into adding more security at the Woodridge Neighborhood Library.