Washington DC boy, 16, is arrested and charged with killing 4 in separate ‘gang-related’ incidents

Teenager, 16, is charged with killing four people, including a pregnant woman who was used as a ‘human shield’, in separate ‘gang-related’ incidents in Washington D.C.

  • Michael Mason, 16, of Southeast Washington D.C. was taken into custody last Wednesday and is being charged as an adult 
  • He is suspected of killing Terrance Griffin, 31, Jaszel Henderson, 20, Brea Moon, 21, and 18-year-old Antwuan Roach 
  • An affidavit says Moon was pregnant and was used as a ‘human shield’ during a shooting in April
  • Mason claims he didn’t pull the trigger in that shooting but shell casings evidence suggests otherwise 
  • Mason is connected to nine shootings in April and May 

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with the murders of four different people in a separate incidents that are believed to be gang-related.

Michael Mason, 16, of Southeast Washington D.C. was taken into custody last Wednesday and is being charged as an adult.

He is suspected of killing Terrance Griffin, 31, Jaszel Henderson, 20, Brea Moon, 21, – who was pregnant – and 18-year-old Antwuan Roach. 

Jaszel Henderson, 20, was killed

Brea Moon, 21, (left) and Jaszel Henderson, 20, (right) are two of the four people shot dead in the Washington DC area in April and May. 

Video footage shows on the crime scenes that suspect Michael Mason (not pictured) is said to be involved in. Mason has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of assault with intent to kill and assault with a dangerous weapon. He denies the allegations

Video footage shows on the crime scenes that suspect Michael Mason (not pictured) is said to be involved in. Mason has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of assault with intent to kill and assault with a dangerous weapon. He denies the allegations

The crimes cover their sixth and seventh districts. 

An affidavit says in one incident in April a pregnant woman, identified as Moon, was used as a ‘human shield’ for someone who was being shot at.

The mother-to-be lived in District Heights, Maryland and the other victims lived in Southeast DC.

In that incident of the pregnant woman, Mason blames the driver of the vehicle he was in.

He claims he was in the back of a Honda Crosstour when the driver shot into another car where Moon sat. 

The driver continued on into Maryland and Moon was later found in her car. She died in hospital.

Mason said he ‘did not even know there was a female in the car they shot at’, according to the affidavit. ‘The defendant admitted the intention of the killing was someone else who had been causing problems in his neighborhood.’

However investigators – who found four shell casings in the street – say the shells would have fallen in the car if the driver reached over to shoot through the passenger side window where Mason was.

An affidavit says Brea Moon, 21, was pregnant and was used as a 'human shield' during a shooting in April

An affidavit says Brea Moon, 21, was pregnant and was used as a ‘human shield’ during a shooting in April

Daquan Jones, 19, was also charged in relation to Moon’s death. 

Video from NBC 4 shows one of the crimes scenes.  

The Metropolitan Police Department announced Mason’s arrest on Monday and said the murders took place in April and May. 

Mason is also suspected in a number of other shooting incidents within the same months. Cops have connected him to nine shootings.

It’s reported he is a member of the Simple City crew and the incidents could be related to a feud with a rival gang named 37th.

The first shooting incident took place 11 days after he was released from juvenile detention for a prior absconding incident.

The motive for Roach’s killing is that he was blamed for the 2019 shooting of a Simple City member. Roach and Mason has previously met inside a juvenile detention center.

Mason was identified as the suspect after one victim gave cops a photograph of someone they believed to be the shooter and police used facial recognition software to come up with a match.

Mason is linked to the crimes by a .40-caliber gun and detective claim he tried to sell one on Instagram after the homicides.

They also looked into cell phone tower pings after interviewing witnesses.

Mason has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of assault with intent to kill and assault with a dangerous weapon. He denies the allegations.

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for anyone with information that helps the investigation.

The crimes are reportedly connected to the Simple City crew and their gang rivals

The crimes are reportedly connected to the Simple City crew and their gang rivals

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk