A late-night rideshare trip in Southwest D.C. turned violent early Wednesday when, police say, a passenger pulled a gun on the driver, hit them and stole the car. The stickup happened around 1:05 a.m. in the 2100 block of 1st Street SW. According to investigators, the armed passenger demanded the vehicle, and the suspects then took off in the driver’s car. Police later found the vehicle and arrested two people.
Police say they recovered the car and made arrests
According to WJLA, the Metropolitan Police Department said one passenger pulled a handgun, struck the driver and the suspects drove off in the victim’s car. U.S. Park Police officers later located the stolen vehicle and arrested 20-year-old Ge’onnie Fields of Southeast D.C. and a 14-year-old boy from Northeast D.C.; both were charged with armed carjacking.
How to report tips and reward information
The MPD asks anyone with information to call the Command Information Center at (202) 727-9099 or to text tips to 50411. The department’s rewards program offers cash for information in violent-crime investigations; more on the tip line and rewards program is posted by the MPD.
Broader enforcement context
Local carjackings, including incidents that target rideshare and delivery drivers, have drawn increased scrutiny from local and federal law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has pursued multi-defendant indictments in armed carjacking conspiracies, highlighting how prosecutors sometimes lean on federal resources to go after organized carjacking rings, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office release.
What drivers can do
The District has rolled out programs to protect drivers, including a partnership to distribute dash cams and pilot tracking-tag programs that help recover stolen vehicles, city officials say; details on one such program are posted by the MPD. Drivers working for app services are encouraged to use dash cams, share trip details with a trusted contact and avoid stopping in isolated areas when possible.
