A Washington, DC government employee was in his home at night when he heard noise coming from the street. 

The man believed that teenagers were tampering with vehicles outside his home, and was concerned that someone may try to break into his house.

The man has been charged with murder in the second degree for the deadly shooting of a thirteen-year-old boy, whom he shot without direct provocation. 

Jason Lewis, 41, was taken into custody after surrendering to the police on Tuesday, January 31, according to Metropolitan Police Chief Robert J. Contee.

In a press conference on Tuesday, the Police Chief said authorities charged Lewis about three weeks after he allegedly shot 13-year-old Karon Blake, a middle school student, in the early morning hours of January 7.

According to an arrest affidavit, Lewis told police that he was in bed when he heard noise and went downstairs to check what was happening. 

Lewis told the police that he fired his gun at a parked vehicle while still in his house. He thought the vehicle was a getaway car. When the gunshots were fired, young Blake and another person started running. When the boy ran in the direction of Lewis, he shot and killed him. 

Police Chief Contee said that Blake was running toward the getaway car, but the car reversed and crashed into an alley, and Blake ran the other way, toward Lewis.

The affidavit reports that Blake begged Lewis not to shoot him when he realized what was happening. He said he was “just a kid” and collapsed after the bullet hit him.  

Lewis called the police after the shooting.

Surveillance cameras caught the awful scene and Blake can be seen running in front of Lewis’ house as the shooter fires in his direction.

Blake is also heard screaming that he is sorry.

Two other teenagers who were at the scene have not been identified.

Blake’s grandfather, Sean Long, said he was heartbroken when he heard the news, especially because his grandson begged for his life before he was shot.

Long said that even though the murder charge against Lewis was a move toward justice, he and his family want the man convicted for the unprovoked shooting. 

The community is outraged and many people are saying that even if the boys were doing something illegal, a child shouldn’t have been killed.