'They're broken in a way I recognize' | DJ armed at gunpoint recalls his frightening ordeal

WASHINGTON — His personal account of being carjacked at gunpoint in D.C. went viral on social media. Now, a popular DJ shares his story only with WUSA9.

Rhome Anderson describes the young people, masked and brandishing guns, who tried to go on a shopping spree with his stolen credit card. His story is eye-opening. It was just before 10:30 on Sunday night on Aug. 20. Anderson, also known as DJ Stylus, had just finished working on a gig at the Wharf. 

He was tired and needed to send a text message. He says he didn't want to drive distracted, so he pulled over in the 700 block of 7th Street just beyond I Street. That's when the suspects approached.

"I heard a tap-tap on the driver's window put the pistol in my face and motioned get out,” recalled Anderson. “He kept the pistol on me, and I moved real slow. And then when I got out of the car his buddy put the pistol in my face and they peeled off."

If time doesn't always heal, it certainly helps. It's been just over a week that Anderson was face to face with a gun. It was a frightening few moments that the D.C. native said felt eerily similar to 1980's and the days the District was struggling through the crack epidemic.

“They're (the kids) are broken differently, but broken in way I can recognize,” described Anderson. “They were all covered up masked and covered with hoodies. They were so small I could see that they were small. They were little dudes. I figured they were not hardened yet maybe not experienced so I wanted to stay cool so they wouldn't get spooked. So, I could walk away.”

Thankfully he walked away and managed to take his phone and key fob with him. But the thieves drove off with his brand-new car and thousands of dollars in DJ equipment. As he was talking to detectives, the fraud alerts started coming in on his phone.

"They were trying to buy Shein, Uber Eats and trying to get a FanDuel membership,” said Anderson. Later that night, Anderson's car was recovered about a mile away in Navy Yard. The suspects were caught on a neighbor’s ring camera as they walked back and forth to the car over the course of an hour. The car was in-tact, the DJ equipment still inside. Anderson suspects the thieves couldn't get far without the key fob.

"On one hand the criminality is clumsy because they’re clearly not hardened and experienced,” said Anderson, “on the other hand the danger factor is massively elevated because they're armed.”

DJ Stylus shared his story on social media. His post describing the "lost generation" was shared 271 times and viewed over 200,000 times.

“I was just trying to process something that really disturbed me and with very few expectations it’s literally been a tidal wave of kindness,” he said. “When I was less angry, I was wishing I wish these kids were loved on like I was.”

Despite the harrowing experience, DJ Stylus says D.C. is still home.

“This is my place this is who I am. The lost youngins are not going to make me love my city less. I don't have the answers, but we have to do more,” he said. Police are still searching for the suspects.