Mom turns in 12-year-old son suspected of trying to carjack federal security officer; male, 13, fatally shot in failed heist

A mother turned in her 12-year-old son who's suspected of trying to carjack a federal security officer in Washington, D.C., over the weekend.

The officer — who was waiting for his shift to start Saturday night prior to the failed heist — fatally shot a 13-year-old male who allegedly was the 12-year-old suspect's accomplice.

What are the details?

The mother contacted authorities Tuesday after seeing an image D.C. police released showing a person of interest wanted for fleeing the scene of the crime, WTTG-TV reported.

The station learned during a Wednesday juvenile court hearing that the 12-year-old male was arrested the day before.

A D.C. police detective who's also a carjacking task force member testified at the proceeding that surveillance video captured two youths approaching the off-duty officer's vehicle from behind while the officer was sitting inside the vehicle and looking at his phone, WTTG reported.

The detective added to the judge that video also shows the pair appearing to have a conversation before they both placed their right hands over their waistbands and continued toward the off-duty officer’s vehicle, the station said.

The detective said the 13-year-old male was walking closest to the curb, opened the passenger-side door, and entered the vehicle from the curb, WTTG said.

The off-duty officer identified the 12-year-old male as the suspect who walked around the front of the vehicle and opened the driver-side door with his hand still on his waistband, allegedly saying, "Get the [expletive] out. You know what this is," the station said.

WTTG said the officer exited his vehicle and then opened fire. The 13-year-old male was shot in the chest, the Washington Post said, citing a police report.

A video report from WTTG said both teens began to run, but the teen who was shot fell to the ground. Officers found a wounded juvenile male at the scene, WTTG said in a separate story about the failed carjacking, adding that he was taken to a hospital, where he died. The WTTG video report said no gun was found on the fatally shot teen.

Police identified the deceased juvenile as Vernard Toney Jr. of southeast Washington, the Post said.

'A smart and talented student' — with a long rap sheet

The principal of Toney's middle school wrote that "Vernard was a smart and talented student who created personal relationships not only with his schoolmates but also with many of the staff here at Kelly Miller. He had a natural comedic ability and loved to make people laugh. ... Vernard also loved to play basketball and spend his free time on the court with his friends," WTTG reported.

Toney also had nine carjacking and robbery charges under his belt at the time of Saturday's failed heist, the Post reported in a separate story, citing two officials familiar with the youth’s history.

The paper, citing documents it reviewed, said prosecutors in August dismissed some of the charges against Toney, but he was awaiting prosecution for others. He was charged in May in connection with a string of carjackings, robberies, and assaults over five weeks in southeast D.C., the paper said. A juvenile court judge that month ordered the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to hold Toney — who was 12 at the time — saying he should undergo psychological and educational evaluations.

'A really, really poor report'

As for the 12-year-old suspect, the hearing on Wednesday apparently was his first interaction with the D.C. court system, WTTG reported — although it was noted that he has serious behavioral issues and allegedly has dealt with anger since the age of 5.

The court also was told he started smoking marijuana at age 11, the station said, adding that he allegedly said after getting arrested that he hangs around negative peers and knows where to get a gun.

The magistrate judge who reviewed his history noted that "this is a really, really poor report," WTTG said.

More from the station:

It was revealed in court that the 12-year-old's mother has tried to get her son help, and even contacted a local hospital to work with her son in an effort not to lose him to D.C.’s streets.

The 12-year-old's defense attorney told the court his mother is a very good mother because she recognized her son’s needs.

At the beginning of the juvenile hearing, the 12-year-old gave his age as "13" – only for another official to later correct the record, saying the youth is actually 12, despite what he said.

"Wow," was the judge’s response. It’s not clear why the youth gave an incorrect age.

An assistant attorney general argued that the 12-year-old suspect should be held on the charge of attempting carjacking, saying that even a carjacking threat constitutes an armed carjacking charge, WTTG reported.

The judge said she didn't find substantial probability for an armed carjacking charge but did find enough for charge of carjacking, the station said.

Police haven't connected any guns to the two youths suspected in the attempted carjacking, WTTG added.

The 12-year-old suspect was ordered held at the city’s secure juvenile facility at least until Monday, when he's due for another appearance, the station said.

12-year-old faces judge for fatal DC carjacking attempt after mom turns him inyoutu.be

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