Protesters outside D.C. mayor's home demand police chief be fired after Black man was shot

WASHINGTON (ABC7) — Protesters are calling for Mayor Muriel Bowser to fire Police Chief Peter Newsham after police shot and killed 18-year-old Deon Kay Wednesday evening in Southeast Washington.

The group, Sunrise Movement DC, staged a protest outside of Bowser's home Thursday morning as they demanded the police chief be fired and body camera footage be released from the shooting.

Crystal Gong from Sunrise Movement DC told ABC7 Thursday morning that the group is demanding that Bowser fire Newsham, because she believes there has been an "inordinate amount of aggression by police" towards protestors and community members. She states Newsham has not had an acceptable response to police misbehavior and abuse of community members.

Crystal Gong from Sunrise Movement DC speaks with ABC7 about protest outside of Mayor Bowser's home:

"The mayor may or may not come out of her house but we're going to tell her to her face that she needs to fire Newsham and that real police reforms are needed. Anything short of defunding the police is not real police reform," Gong adds.

RELATED: Man dead after being shot by DC police on Orange Street in Southeast

When asked by a reporter during a Thursday press conference why she didn't come out and address the protesters, Mayor Bowser said that when she's at home, her two-year-old is her priority.

When asked by another reporter what she would like to say to the protesters, Mayor Bowser said, "I don't say anything to them."

Investigators said Wednesday's shooting occurred near the corner of Orange Street and Second Street in Southeast.

"Uniformed police officers had information that there were guys in the neighborhood with guns, specifically," Newsham said at the conference. "That's what they were looking for and evidently that's what they found," Police Chief Peter Newsham said Wednesday evening.

While two suspects ran from officers, D.C. police said one of the suspects "brandished a firearm," and in response, an officer shot their gun one time, hitting the suspect identified as Kay.

RELATED: Protesters gather outside D.C. police department after officers shoot man in SE

D.C. Fire and EMS responded to the scene and sent the suspect to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries, according to police. Kay was pronounced dead after all "life-saving efforts failed," police added.

Multiple guns were recovered at the scene, according to investigators. Newsham says the man who was shot was believed to have been armed at the time.

D.C. police say 19-year-old Marcyelle Smith of Southeast D.C. was later arrested after being found in possession of a handgun. He was charged with carrying a pistol without a license. 18-year-old Deonte Brown of Southeast D.C. was also arrested and charged for not having a permit.

The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave per MPD policy. According to the release, responding officers activated their body-worn cameras and the footage is currently under review as the case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the police department at (202) 727-9099.