A routine late-night fuel stop on the 1500 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE turned into a gunpoint carjacking Thursday, according to D.C. police. Investigators say a man was pumping gas when a suspect crept up from behind, pulled a handgun and ordered, “Give it to me, give me your car.” The gunman then slid into the driver’s seat, fired a single shot and sped off northbound toward Prince George’s County. The victim sprinted into the gas station and asked an attendant to call 911. He was not injured and declined medical assistance. Officers later found a shell casing near the pumps, and detectives say the investigation is still very much active.
According to an MPD alert posted to AlertDC, the stolen car is a dark-gray 2012 Toyota Yaris with heavy window tint, dark rims and visible damage to the driver’s-side quarter panel. The alert, listed under event number I20260336506, urges anyone with information to call 911 rather than try to play hero. Police broadcast a lookout as the suspect headed north toward Maryland.
WJLA reports that the victim told officers the suspect grabbed the driver’s side door as he got into the car and that the single shot from the handgun went off during the struggle for control of the vehicle. The station attendant dialed 911 after the victim ran inside, and D.C. Fire and EMS responded to check the scene; the victim again refused treatment. Investigators recovered a shell casing at the pumps and are canvassing nearby businesses and combing through surveillance footage.
Police response and investigation
MPD Sixth District officers raced to the scene and immediately put out a citywide lookout for the Yaris while detectives continued their first round of interviews and canvassing. The department notes that it has a dedicated carjacking task force that works closely with prosecutors and neighboring jurisdictions on cross-border pursuits and sharing evidence, a setup MPD has described publicly. For more on that effort, see MPD.
Kenilworth corridor context
The Kenilworth Avenue corridor in Northeast has seen its share of robberies and vehicle thefts in recent years, with local cases and court outcomes regularly flagged in police alerts and neighborhood coverage. In May 2024, a defendant pleaded guilty in a separate carjacking that also began on Kenilworth Avenue, as documented in a separate Kenilworth carjacking case. Neighbors and business owners have repeatedly pressed for heavier patrols along the stretch where drivers frequently stop for gas and quick errands.
What you can do
Anyone who witnessed the incident or captured it on camera is asked to call 911, reference event number I20260336506, or submit a tip to Metro Crime Stoppers. Police stress that people should not confront the suspect. Instead, pass along details such as the Yaris’s heavy window tint, dark rims, the damage to the driver’s-side rear quarter panel and any license plate information you might have caught. Investigators say tips and video footage are critical as they work to track down the gunman and the stolen car.
