An incident in Northeast Washington, D.C. has left a 14-year-old girl dead after an accidental shooting yesterday. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were called to an apartment on the 1700 block of Benning Road at around 5:09 p.m., as initially reported by the MPD in a press release. The young girl, whose identity has not been released, suffered a fatal gunshot wound while reportedly handling a firearm that discharged during the recording of a social media video.
Despite efforts by Fifth District officers to administer lifesaving measures, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident has prompted renewed discussions about gun safety and youth access to firearms. Authorities noted that multiple individuals, including at least one adult, were present in the apartment at the time of the shooting. This has raised questions about how the recovered weapon came into the teen’s possession and what safeguards are in place to prevent similar incidents.
MPD Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith issued a statement acknowledging the incident, saying, "This is a devastating reminder of the dangers of weapons getting into the hands of young people in our city, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the decedent," and she emphasized the importance of responsible firearm storage, "Firearms are not toys or props and they must be properly secured in a place where they can only be accessed by lawful gun owners," as reported by the MPD.
Detectives from the Fifth District are actively investigating the circumstances around the shooting, and the MPD is urging anyone with further information to step forward. Members of the community with any relevant details are encouraged to call MPD at 202-727-9099 or text tips to 50411.
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