US

Baby Boy Shot Dead In DC Drive-By

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A baby was shot and killed in a Washington, D.C., drive-by Wednesday night, police said.

The infant was situated in a child seat inside of a vehicle that was riddled with bullets as many as 10 times, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said in a press conference. The boy was pronounced dead at a local hospital, and Newsham referred to the incident as “the most tragic news to announce this evening.”

Chief Newsham provides an update to the shooing that occurred the 5700 block of Southern Avenue https://t.co/pHDHsrVvFn

— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) December 3, 2020

The chief said that an adult male was behind the wheel of the vehicle and another child may have been present at the time of the drive-by. Police suspect that both cars were in motion at the time of the shooting.

Investigators believe a dark gray SUV with tinted windows was involved in the killing as it was seen speeding away from the area by witnesses, Newsham said.

“We’re going to do everything we possibly can to bring some justice to this little boy and his family,” the chief said.

There has been a 20% rise in homicides in D.C. with 187 murders so far in 2020 compared to 156 in 2019, according to D.C. crime statistics. The city has also experienced a 47% uptick in car theft and a 63% jump in arson, the data showed.