Guard accidentally fires weapon during inmate escape

WASHINGTON - Court officials are trying to figure out how a juvenile inmate escaped from the D.C. Superior Court and why a guard at the courthouse fired her weapon while trying to stop him -- despite the fact the inmate was still in shackles.

The incident happened around 7:40 p.m. on Sept. 11. According to a court spokesperson, the inmate was mistakenly being taken through a secure corridor in the courthouse, which is meant only for judges and their staff.

At some point, the inmate escaped from a guard and made his way to the courthouse's lower level and exited through the main entrance on Indiana Avenue.

A special security officer at the main entrance saw that the inmate was wearing handcuffs and attempted to stop him. As the officer reached for her radio, her gun discharged at least one shot. It remains unclear whether the officer intended to fire her weapon or if the gun was still in her holster when it went off.

The inmate was caught a short time later outside of the courthouse.

Leah Gurowitz, a spokesperson for the court, confirmed the incident and released this statement:

"A juvenile in the custody of a Department of Youth and Rehabilitative Services staff member managed to break free and run out of the courthouse. As he ran out the front entrance, a Special Security Officer (SSO) saw him exit the building with wrist shackles and restraints on. As the SSO went to grab her radio atop the X-ray scanning machine, she apparently accidentally discharged her weapon into the floor mat. The juvenile was apprehended just outside the courthouse by another SSO, assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service. The SSO has been placed on administrative leave while the U.S. Marshals Service investigates the incident."

A spokesperson for DYRS was unaware of the incident when contacted by WTOP for comment, as was D.C. Councilmember Tommy Wells who oversees DYRS as chair of the Human Services Committee. Much of the incident was caught on video which is being reviewed by court officials and the U.S. Marshals. The SSO who fired her weapon is on routine administrative leave pending the investigation.

The escape marks the third time this summer that a youth in DYRS custody has escaped. In two separate incidents, seven juveniles have escaped from the New Beginnings Youth Development Center since the new facility opened in June.

In every case the inmates were caught soon after their escape.

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