A D.C. high school student has died several days after he was shot in Northeast. Larelle Washington was a senior at KIPP DC College Preparatory. He was shot Friday afternoon in the area of Capitol Avenue near Mt. Olivet Road near his home. He was found unconscious but breathing and taken to the hospital. In a letter sent to parents, Principal Stephanie Renee Young said the school learned of Washington’s death Tuesday morning. She called the news “devastating for Larelle’s family, friends, and our entire school community.” “Larelle was a remarkable young man that cared deeply about his friends, teachers, and family,” Young said, adding that Washington was easy-going, kind and always took to the time to check in on others.
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Young said that the school remains in touch with Washington’s family and its community plans to provide support. In addition, school officials have maintained communication with D.C. police as the investigation continues. At this point, it is believed that the shooter is not connected with the school, Young said. Last August, another KIPP student was killed in a stabbing, and Ward 5 Council member Kenyan McDuffie said that these “tragedies” are not isolated. McDuffie called the incidents part of of an “epidemic of violence” and called for addressing crime and violence as a public health crisis. The school will modify its Wednesday schedule from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to give time for students to honor Washington, including having conversations and counselors available, Young said. She added that there would be a more prominent police presence and private security on campus in the coming days. Students who do not attend classes Wednesday will be marked down with an excused absence, and the school is pausing its student COVID-19 testing for the rest of the week. All regular-scheduled classes will resume Thursday and Friday.
