Four girls, aged between 11 and 14, were taken into custody on Friday following an assault on a woman at Union Station.
The Metropolitan Police Department apprehended two young girls, aged 12 and 14, on Friday. The girls have been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to riot, simple assault, and disorderly conduct.
Two girls, aged 11 and 13, were taken into custody on Thursday following the circulation of videos depicting an assault outside of Union Station.
According to investigators, the woman was attacked by the underage suspects as she was leaving Union Station. The girls allegedly assaulted her by punching and kicking her.
“On Friday, the Metropolitan Police Department, led by Chief Pamela A. Smith, announced that more arrests have been made in relation to a disturbing assault captured on video in Northeast,” stated an MPD spokesperson.
According to a police report, the attack occurred on Sunday, February 16th. Investigators suspect that one of the girls recorded the attack and encouraged the others to continue.
On Friday, the existing charges against the four girls were further enhanced with a hate crime designation. According to an MPD report, the Union Station attack was characterized as both “anti-Hispanic or Latino” and “anti-multiple races, group.”
According to a spokesperson from the MPD, the investigation conducted by the detectives revealed that the suspects may have been motivated by hate or bias.
During the attack, individuals who attempted to intervene were also assaulted by the suspects, according to the police. However, it was stated by an MPD spokesperson that none of the victims sustained serious injuries as a result of the assaults.
Chief Pamela Smith expressed her approval of her colleagues’ choice to apprehend the girls during a statement made on Thursday.
“The behavior exhibited by these young suspects is extremely concerning and profoundly disheartening for those of us who are dedicated to the well-being of our community’s youth,” expressed Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith. “In our city, there is absolutely no tolerance for such actions. Engaging in activities that harm our community will inevitably lead to your arrest and prosecution, regardless of your age. It is the responsibility of all of us who care for the younger generation to ensure that they do not veer down this destructive path.”
According to authorities, the girls are suspected of being involved in similar attacks in nearby areas. The police are collaborating with other law enforcement agencies in those jurisdictions to conduct a thorough investigation.
During a fireside chat on Friday, Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her belief in the importance of taking juvenile crime seriously.
“We can’t treat juvenile crime as some sort of joyride or kids being kids. Kids have to be dealt with who are committing crimes,” the mayor said on Friday. “Our police are making good arrests, and we’re going to work with the attorney general’s office to make sure that the law is being applied to these kids.”
