Trial begins more than a year and a half after the shooting death of 13-year-old Karon Blake

WASHINGTON — The trial for a D.C. Parks employee accused of killing a teenager began Tuesday, more than a year and a half after the deadly shooting. 

Jason Lewis, 41, previously admitted that he shot at 13-year-old Karon Blake but maintains that he fired the shots in self-defense. 

The shooting happened on Jan. 7, 2023, when Lewis said he heard noises outside his home on Quincy Street. He claimed that the noise was from someone tampering with cars. He reportedly armed himself with a registered gun and went out to investigate. 

Detectives say a short time later Lewis shot Karon, who died at an area hospital. Lewis was later charged with second-degree murder for killing the 13-year-old.

Lewis turned himself in to the police and claimed he shot Karon because the teen was running toward him. In March 2023, D.C. prosecutors argued that the reason Karon ran in the first place was because Lewis fired his gun, causing people to scatter.

In a pre-trial hearing, officials played surveillance video that showed Karon was across the street when the first shot was fired. Karon appears to run away before running toward Lewis, who fires three more gunshots, killing Karon. 

Police say the video also captured Karon's last words — yelling several times, "I'm sorry," and "Please don't ... I'm a kid."

Two months after the deadly shooting, a judge declared that Lewis was not a danger to society or a flight risk and ordered he be released with certain rules in place. The judge imposed strict conditions for Lewis' release, including the use of GPS monitoring and regular reporting to pre-trial services. Lewis is also prohibited from possessing guns or any weapons.