So what? Nothing will happen to them.

 FCPS, FCPD accused of tipping off teen murder suspect about DC Police investigation


by Tom Roussey

Fri, December 8th 2023, 10:53 PM EST

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WASHINGTON (7News) — In court filings, a D.C. detective accused Fairfax County’s police and public schools of essentially tipping off a teen murder suspect that police were investigating him. But police and the school system are firing back, saying it would not have been safe to allow a murder suspect to keep coming to school.

24-year-old Diamonte Lewis was shot and killed outside Nellie’s Sports Bar at 900 U Street NW a little after 3:30 a.m. October 21.

D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department later released video of three suspects, and in a court filing this week police identified one of them as 16-year-old Ashton Inabinet of the Mt. Vernon area of Fairfax County.

They said surveillance images show him firing a gun, and he continued to fire even as Lewis was falling, then took a bag from him.

After putting out the surveillance video on October 31, D.C. Police said on November 14, they received information that led them to look into a West Potomac High student in Fairfax County. On November 28, a school resource officer there identified the student as Ashton Inabinet.

A D.C. detective writes in court papers that on that same day, the high school told county police to go to Inabinet’s residence to ban him from school.

Seven days later on December 5, police executed a search warrant at the home. They said a 9mm pistol was used in the homicide, and although at the home they found five 9mm pistols and some 9mm cartridges, they could not find a 9mm cartridge of the same brand as cartridges recovered from the homicide scene. They also said they found an empty gun box hidden under a dog cage. A D.C. detective wrote in court papers she was concerned Inabinet had had time to remove evidence:

“It should be noted that the Defendant was essentially tipped off by School Officials and Fairfax County Police without coordinating with D.C. Homicide. On Tuesday, November 28, 2023, West Potomac High School ordered Fairfax County Police to go to the defendant’s residence and notify them that the defendant was not allowed to return to school in reference to a D.C. Investigation. This information provided the defendant approximately a week to remove evidence from the residence, such as clothing, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and/or 9mm ammunition of the same brand as used during the homicide.”

But Fairfax County Police said it wouldn’t have been safe to allow Inabinet to keep going to the school:

“MPD homicide detectives appeared at a Fairfax County high school on Tuesday, November 28, interacted with a School Resource Officer and stated their intention to eventually pursue criminal charges against a Fairfax County high school student for a recent firearm murder in their jurisdiction. MPD detectives had not yet obtained criminal charges. We delivered a letter authored by Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid banning the student, a murder suspect, from school until we received further information. This is a preventive action we own and stand by. The Fairfax County Police Department has a duty and responsibility to protect our students.”

Fairfax County Public Schools also put out a statement attributed to Superintendent Michelle Reid:

“The safety of our schools remains our top priority and we will always act swiftly to protect our students and staff. We continue to work collaboratively with Fairfax County Police, who are partners in this work, and we are in agreement with their statement...”

Also, surveillance images allegedly of Inabinet had been out for weeks before the 16-year-old was banned from school, so he may have already suspected police in D.C. were investigating him.

D.C.’s chief did not comment on her detective’s accusation the boy was tipped off by Fairfax County when asked about it at a press conference Thursday morning.

“In all fairness to the investigation we’ll let that play out and if there are some things that we need to do better on our end, obviously we’ll do that,” Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said.

 

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