DC mom turns her TWELVE-year-old ‘carjacker’ son in to cops after his 13-year-old ‘accomplice’ was shot dead by off-duty cop ‘they targeted’

• The 12-year-old boy attempted to carjack an off-duty police officer on Saturday night along with an accomplice, Vernard Toney Jr, who wound up dead 
• His mother said he has a history of serious behavioral problems and struggles with anger 
• He is currently being held in the city’s juvenile detention facility 

A DC mom has turned her 12-year-old suspected carjacker son into police after his 13-year-old accomplice was shot dead by an off-duty cop believed to be their intended victim. 

The boy, who was not identified, was processed in a juvenile court Wednesday afternoon. 

His mother called the police on October 31 after seeing a photo the authorities shared of the suspect and recognizing the youngster.

Police used the 12-year-old’s clothing, including a black hoodie, light gray joggers, and Jordan sneakers with a reflective tongue to connect the boy to the crime.

His alleged accomplice who was shot and killed is 13-year-old Vernard Toney Jr. Toney was described by his school principal as ‘a smart and talented student.’

A blurry picture of the 12-year-old suspect that his mother used to identify him as an alleged carjacker. She called the cops and he was arrested on Tuesday

Toney, a seventh grader, had been a suspect in a number of previous carjackings. He was arrested in May in connection with several such crimes that occurred in Southeast DC. 

It isn’t clear what happened with those cases, although crime-ridden DC is notorious for recent efforts to lighten penalties for criminals in a bid to boost racial ‘equity.’ 

‘(Toney) was known to the Metropolitan Police Department, and it’s just unfortunate that this particular incident happened on Saturday night that caused him to no longer be here,’ said Acting Chief of Police Pamela Smith.

His principal further described his ‘natural comedic ability’ and love of making people laugh, ‘especially when he would joke that he was the principal of Kelly Miller MS. Vernard also loved to play basketball and spend his free time on the court with his friends.’

The 12-year-old’s accomplice, Vernard Toney Jr., 13, was shot and killed during the carjacking

A DC police detective and carjacking task force member testified in court on Wednesday that while there was no audio, a surveillance video did capture the two boys approaching the car – which belonged to an off-duty federal security officer – from behind.

The officer was seated inside the vehicle and checking his phone before starting work.

A detective told the Juvenile court judge that the video showed the two boys seeming to have a conversation before placing their right hands on their waistbands and continuing to move toward the cop’s car.

The detective said the 13-year-old was walking close to the sidewalk and opened the passenger-side door and entered the vehicle.

The 12-year-old was identified as the suspect who walked around the front of the car, opened the driver-side door and said ‘Get the [expletive] out. You know what this is,’ according to the off-duty officer.

The officer said the juvenile held his hand in his pocket as if he had a gun, which is when the officer opened fire. Toney was shot and the other accomplice ran. 

The two boys attempted to carjack an off-duty police officer on Saturday night, leading to the fatal shooting of one of them

The magistrate judge said Wednesday: ‘This is a really, really poor report,’ voicing her concerns after reviewing the 12-year-old’s history, which includes a history of serious behavioral issues, including anger management.

The court was also told he began smoking marijuana when he was 11-years-old.

Following his arrest, the juvenile reportedly said he hangs out with a rough crowd and knows where the obtain a gun.

The mother of the troubled boy said she has tried to get her son help and even contacted a local hospital to work with her son in an effort to prevent exactly this sort of event from unfolding.

The 12-year-old is being held at YSC, the city’s secured juvenile facility until at least Monday, when he is due back in court.

Carjacking rates are so high in the nation’s capital that Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced that residents living in certain parts of the city will be given Free AirTags at events held from November 7-9.

Bowser said at the press conference: ‘These tags and tiles will help MPD recover stolen vehicles and hold people accountable.

‘The word will also get out this is not a community to come in and steal cars.’

At the distribution event, police officers will help install the tags into cars. The tag can be installed anywhere in the car and its location will not be accessible to police. 

The free AirTags will work the same as Apple designed them. If a car is stolen, the owner will be able to look up its location on the ‘Find My’ app on their Apple iPhone. 

An alternative tracking device for Android users is the Tile tracker, which will also be distributed at the same events. They function the same as AirTags.

Bowser also told the public that Dashcams will be given out to truck and delivery drivers next week for their safety.

Acting chief Smith did not clarify how many tags will be distributed at the events. 

She said at the conference: ‘Our carjacking, motor vehicle thefts and unlawful use of vehicles are up 36 percent this year over last year.

In 2023, car thefts in the DC area have been reported to be up by 101 percent, with the MPD reporting a total of 5,916 stolen cars and 754 carjackings this year. 

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