A Washington, D.C. employee has begun his trial for his involvement in a fatal shooting of a teenage boy.
41-year-old Jason Lewis, a worker for the Parks Association in the nation’s capital, was charged well over a year and a half ago but began his trial on Tuesday, August 6. He is accused of murdering 13-year-old Karon Blake last year, although he has consistently said he only shot in self-defense.
The defendant—who turned himself in, not hiding the fact that he shot the boy but rejecting accusations it was a crime—was deemed not to pose a threat to society or suggest that he would run away. So, two months after the January 2023 shooting, a judge permitted him to be released from custody.
Lewis was required to follow certain rules while on release, including consistent pre-trial attendance and reporting, using a GPS monitor, and being stripped of owning any weapons, including guns.
The shooting occurred on January 7, 2023, at which time Lewis reported hearing noises outside his house that he believed was someone messing with vehicles outside. He took up his firearm—which he owned legally—and went to see what was happening. Not long after, he fired fatal blows to Karon, who was only 13 at the time of his death.
According to Lewis, he fired because the boy was charging toward him. But a March 2023 argument from prosecutors countered this, saying Karon instead started running because shots were fired first. Surveillance footage played during a pre-trial hearing revealed that Karon was on the other side of the street when the gun was first fired, then apparently tried to run away, eventually towards Lewis.
The video reportedly caught the boy yelling that he was “sorry” and “a kid,” adding “please don’t” before he was shot.
Lewis was charged with second-degree murder later that month, surrendering himself to police. Initial news about the incident included the defendant’s claim that he investigated the situation since he was unsure if anyone was attempting to break into his home. He reportedly saw “youngsters” by a car, dressed in black, and asked what they were doing.
Police said that Lewis first shot towards a nearby “getaway vehicle” before Karon and another “unidentified” person started running. When Karon ran in Lewis’ direction, he shot again, leading to the death of the boy at a local hospital.
