(Reuters) – A man surrendered to Washington police on Tuesday after he was indicted on a charge of second-degree murder in the killing of a 13-year-old boy he suspected of breaking into a car, the Washington Post reported.
Jason Lewis, who works for the city’s department of parks and recreation, was scheduled to make an initial appearance in District of Columbia Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon, the newspaper reported.
Lewis maintains his innocence, his attorney said in a statement, noting that his client has dedicated his career to mentoring and supporting youth.
“While this is certainly a tragedy, once all the facts are heard, I believe that a jury will find that there was no crime here,” his attorney Lee Smith said, adding that Lewis offers his “heartfelt condolences” to the victim’s family.
Washington’s Police Department was not immediately available for comment.
Lewis is accused of shooting Karon Blake, whom he suspected of breaking into a car on Jan. 7, according to police. The incident has raised concerns among community members and local politicians about vigilantism.
The man phoned the 911 emergency line after shooting Blake and was performing CPR on the boy when police arrived, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee III told reporters at the time of the incident.
He said the shooter had a permit to carry a concealed gun and that the gun was registered to his home. No other weapons were found at the scene, Contee said.
Blake was shot near his middle school, which described him as a quiet and inquisitive student who loved fashion and football.
(Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
