Two armed juveniles are being sought by police after a daylight robbery Monday morning in the Deanwood neighborhood of Northeast D.C., with investigators still withholding basic details about what happened and who was involved. No arrests have been made, and officers have released only broad physical descriptions of the two young suspects.
The robbery was reported in the 4900 block of Central Avenue NE, according to Shore News Network, which first reported that Metropolitan Police Department Sixth District officers are investigating. That stretch of Central Avenue sits in the Deanwood section of Ward 7, a corridor that falls under MPD's Sixth District and is patrolled by officers based on Hayes Street NE, according to prior Hoodline reporting on the area. AlertDC records show MPD issued a public crime alert for the robbery at 11:54 a.m. Monday, logged under CAD #13002 and Event #I20260481086.
Per the MPD crime alert, the two juvenile males were both dressed in dark-colored clothing, and at least one of them was reported to be armed with a gun. Police described the first suspect as thin-built and the second as heavier-built, but authorities have not released ages or any other identifying details for either one. Investigators have also not disclosed what property, if any, was taken, whether anyone was injured, or the circumstances that led up to the robbery.
A Second Armed Robbery Minutes Away
The Central Avenue alert wasn't the only one MPD's Sixth District pushed out that morning. Just 26 minutes later, at 12:20 p.m., the department issued a separate crime alert for an armed robbery in the nearby 100 block of 36th Street NE, that one involving three armed suspects, according to AlertDC records. The back-to-back alerts underscore the localized safety concerns playing out across Ward 7 that morning.
Gun violence is not new to the Central Avenue NE corridor. Federal court records from a 2025 case document a prior armed robbery committed at gunpoint at 49th Street and Central Avenue NE, part of a multi-site robbery spree that was ultimately prosecuted in federal court by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
How to Report Information
MPD is urging residents not to intervene if they encounter anyone matching the suspects' descriptions. Anyone who spots the two suspects should call 911 immediately, while residents with other information can reach MPD's 24-hour tip line at (202) 727-9099 or text information to 50411, the department says. The Metropolitan Police Department also maintains a standing reward of up to $10,000 for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction in a violent crime, including armed robbery, committed anywhere in Washington, D.C., according to past Metropolitan Police Department releases.
What Happens If the Suspects Are Juveniles
If the suspects are apprehended and confirmed to be minors, prosecution would initially fall to the District of Columbia's Office of the Attorney General, though major violent offenses involving firearms can trigger a petition to transfer youth aged 15 and older into adult criminal court, per the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General. Under D.C. Code § 22-2801, armed robbery carries a maximum adult sentence of up to 30 years, with sentencing guidelines setting a mandatory minimum of five years when a firearm is involved, according to the District of Columbia Sentencing Commission.
The District also expanded its legal tools for handling juvenile violent crime in March 2024, when it enacted the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act. That law broadened judicial authority to order temporary pretrial detention for juveniles accused of serious violent crimes such as armed robbery and carjacking, according to CrimLawPractitioner.org. The legislation followed a surge in youth arrests, with District police arresting roughly 2,000 juveniles in 2023 amid a 39 percent spike in citywide violent crime that prompted local leaders to institute targeted youth curfews and public safety emergency orders.
Monday's Deanwood robbery echoes other recent cases Sixth District officers have worked in Northeast D.C., including a chase involving armed juveniles following a shooting and robbery last year. For now, the investigation into Monday's robbery remains active, and no arrests have been announced.
