A 15-year-old girl was arrested after police say she went on a violent crime spree and attacked at least six women in D.C. within 24 hours.
Kate Rios recounted the terrifying moment she was attacked by a group of teen girls — including the one who was arrested. She said the girls laughed as they assaulted her.
“I’m almost speechless, right?” Rios said. “Like, not only did they assault me and try to kick me in the head repetitively, they thought it was funny.”
Rios was still struggling to find the words days after coming under attack in the middle of the afternoon.
“I never thought it would be 12:30 in the afternoon, two blocks from the FBI building, and that this would happen to me,” she said.
Rios said she was on her way to a date at Teaism at 8th and D streets NW on Sunday when her weekend took a dangerous turn.
“These girls came up to me but they kind of boxed me in so I was up against a brick wall,” she said. “And they said, ‘Can we use your phone to call our mom?’ Instantly I'm like shaking and I’m like, ‘Sure,’ but I held my phone closer, and they knew I was scared. Immediately they said, ‘We ain’t going to do nothing to you.’ And then immediately I’m down on the ground, like, instant.”
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The teen attackers kicked her on the ground as they tried to steal her bag.
“I yelled ‘Hey’ in the deepest voice I could, and they started walking away, " said David Del Terzo, who witnessed the attack. “They got into a slowly moving car, laughing.”
Witnesses were able to stop the assault and call 911. D.C. police said that was just the beginning.
At about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, police say a woman was attacked on the sidewalk just feet from her home on Rhode Island Avenue NE.
Investigators say they believe the same girls are behind five other attacks across the District from Sunday to Monday afternoon. In some cases, the suspects used pepper spray on unsuspecting women before pulling their hair and beating them.
“They enjoyed it,” Rios said. “They literally enjoyed kicking me in the head.”
The girl who was arrested is facing several charges, including robbery and assault. Rios said the arrest isn’t bringing her much comfort, though.
“I haven't been able to sleep at night. I just keep replaying it over and over,” she said. “I just cannot believe this happened, like, this is our nation’s capital.”
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She said she’s worried her attackers won't be held accountable because they’re minors.
“I’m just hoping that when it gets to the court level, that these girls get the appropriate charges,” Rios said.
Anyone who knows anything that can help is asked to call D.C. police.
