A tragic shooting in Washington, D.C., left another teenager wounded Saturday, marking the fourth teen shot in the city within ten days. Metropolitan Police officers responded around 12:17 p.m. to the 4600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE after reports of gunfire. When officers arrived, they found a teenage boy suffering from gunshot wounds. He was conscious and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Authorities have not yet released information about possible suspects or motives, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The latest shooting occurred less than a day after another teen was killed in Northeast Washington near H.D. Woodson High School on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue. Police continue searching for the person responsible in that case. Earlier in the week, two more young victims, 12-year-old Mhilo Young and 14-year-old Tyale Coates, were fatally shot in the 700 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE. Both boys were from Northeast D.C. The deaths shocked the community, and KIPP DC confirmed that Coates was an eighth grader at Valor Academy while Young had previously attended one of its schools.
These incidents have renewed concerns about youth violence in the nation’s capital. Community leaders and residents are calling for stronger intervention programs, increased policing, and more support systems for at-risk youth. The repeated shootings have created fear and frustration among families who worry about safety in neighborhoods already affected by crime.
The violence came on the same day Washington was shaken by a separate high-profile security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Authorities said 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, allegedly rushed a checkpoint at the Washington Hilton carrying multiple weapons, including a shotgun, handgun, and knives. Secret Service agents and officers quickly subdued him after gunfire erupted near the ballroom entrance. President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other officials were safely evacuated. One federal officer was struck in a bullet-resistant vest and is expected to recover.
The annual dinner was postponed after the attack. Investigators are examining how Allen approached the venue while armed, prompting questions about security procedures. Together, the teen shootings and the attempted attack highlighted a troubling weekend of violence in Washington, D.C., raising concerns about both street crime and public safety at major events.
