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DC leaders enact fourth juvenile curfew zone for this weekend
D.C. Police have added a fourth juvenile curfew zone. This comes after a violent mob of teens took over a park area last weekend. Officials had previously announced three curfew zones, including one in Navy Yard. FOX 5’s Josh Rosenthal is there live tonight with more.
WASHINGTON - D.C. Police have added a fourth juvenile curfew zone. This comes after a violent mob of teens took over a park area last weekend.
Officials had previously announced three curfew zones, including one in Navy Yard where things quickly turned chaotic.
Police in full force:
Officers are making themselves known in key areas this weekend, setting up additional patrols for the juvenile curfews in Navy Yard, Chinatown, the U Street Corridor and now, the Wharf.
The curfews will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. each night, and it means that within any of the zones, anyone under 18 is prohibited from gathering in a group of nine or more people, with a few exceptions like if the kid is accompanied by a parent, or if they’re coming back from their job.
One thing to note is that the emergency legislation that allows for these curfews is set to expire on April 15.
The backstory:
Video of last Saturday night in Navy Yard ended up being posted all over social media, and it’s among the reasons that there are now four juvenile curfew zones in effect from Friday night through Sunday.
Police said groups of teens began gathering in the park near the Navy Yard Metro station around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and within about two hours the crowd had grown to roughly 200 people.
As things escalated, police said a 15‑year‑old fired a gun into the air before being stopped by members of the National Guard. In another incident, a child was robbed of their shoes and jacket. A separate victim was assaulted, robbed and taken to the hospital.’
A 16‑year‑old was also taken into custody after Secret Service officers stopped a rideshare vehicle and saw the teen try to ditch a gun inside the car.
READ MORE: 2 teens arrested, guns recovered after Navy Yard teen gathering erupts into chaos
What they're saying:
After dealing with "teen takeovers" in these areas, some of which ended in violence, neighbors are saying this is needed.
"Something’s got to be done. Something has to be done. Because I’m sick and tired of looking off my balcony — the kids are shooting in the air, they’re shooting at the residents. They’re shooting at the police. It’s always something," Navy Yard resident Darren Curtis said.
Some say the curfew should last even longer than it’s slated to right now.
"I think that they should extend it. Until they can come up with a better plan, I think people deserve to feel safe when they’re walking around a neighborhood at night," said Jason Wied, who also lives in Navy Yard.
"If they can’t extend it, then they need to open up later places like the rec center and DPR for kids to go do something late at night," neighbor Dionne Norville added.
The other side:
Some critics of these curfews say they disproportionately target the district’s Black and brown youth.
Supporters continue to say it’s making the area safer and helping nearby businesses.