A 16-year-old is facing serious charges after a bullet ripped through the ceiling of a Southeast Washington, D.C., apartment on Saturday morning, startling residents but leaving no one injured. Around 10 a.m., officers responded to the 3400 block of 13th Place SE and found a hole where the projectile had punched into a lower-level unit. After checking the apartment above, police say they recovered an unregistered firearm and took a juvenile into custody. The case remains under active investigation as detectives work to sort out how the shot was fired and whether anyone else played a role.
Police say bullet came from upstairs unit
According to WJLA, officers traced the path of the round to the unit directly above, where they found a bullet hole in the floor and an unregistered firearm. The Metropolitan Police Department says the suspect, a 16-year-old boy from Southeast D.C., now faces charges that include endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm and destruction of property. Police told WJLA that no one was hurt and that detectives are keeping the case open as they pursue additional leads.
What the charges carry in D.C.
Under the D.C. Code, unlawful discharge of a firearm can bring fines or up to two years in jail, and the endangerment-with-a-firearm offense can carry stiffer penalties in aggravated situations. See D.C. Code § 22-4503.01 and § 22-4503.03 for the statutes and full penalty ranges. Prosecutors have pointed to these provisions in recent public-safety legislation that targets gunfire inside multi-unit buildings.
Neighbors react; investigation continues
Neighbors on the block said the sudden police response was unnerving and that they hoped the quick arrest would calm nerves for people living in the building. The Metropolitan Police Department told WJLA that detectives are continuing the investigation and have not released more details about what led up to the shot being fired. The 16-year-old remains in custody as investigators follow up on witness accounts and forensic evidence.
