The D.C. area has seen numerous high-profile crimes involving kids, both as the victims and as the suspects. And there continue to be concerns that the juvenile justice system doesn’t do enough to help kids — or hold them accountable — when they’re involved in crimes.
But on Friday, law enforcement officials and those who have felt the impact of violent crime came together to meet with teenagers about making the right decisions — offering them guidance on the resources available to avoid becoming part of the latest headlines. It also gave U.S. Attorney for D.C. Matthew Graves the chance to honor kids who are setting the right example in their neighborhoods.
There are about 50,000 young people in the community, Graves said.
“The overwhelming majority are doing well,” he added.
Among those Graves honored was Isaiah Parker, a 14-year-old who lives near Benning Road.
“It’s a lot of gun violence,” Parker said. “My friend got shot the other day in the shoulder, but he’s OK now. But there’s been a lot of gun violence.”
How does he stay away from it?
“I stay in the house,” he admitted, and with his close friends they focus on playing video games, which he said is the smart choice and an easy one, too.
Among the speakers at Friday’s event was Tiffani Evans, whose son P.J. was shot and killed in 2021. At the time, the 8-year-old boy was with family in Landover, Maryland, eating tacos and playing video games. She said the gunmen that day were looking for her cousin, who had swore to her they didn’t know where he was.
“Me trusting the word of someone I loved and grew up with, it was all a lie,” she said. “My son was the one sitting at the table in the house with a taco in his hand and a PlayStation controller — with a bullet in his head. My 8-year-old son, who had nothing to do with the situation with my cousin.”
She added, “We’ve got to start making better choices so it doesn’t affect our family members. You guys have a bright future. We’ve just got to put our mind to it.”
Hosting the event was Marquis Hill, a motivational speaker who is better known as Real M.J. Hill.
“Although there’s a lot of room for trouble, there’s a lot of room for good,” said Hill. “And we all have it in us — it’s just up to us to find it.”