A man on a cross-country road trip had his car stolen at gunpoint in broad daylight in D.C., and a crash brought the suspected thief to a stop before he was arrested by authorities.
D.C. police said this all started on 12th and C streets in Southeast.
The victim, Brendan Nagle, had just arrived to his Airbnb while visiting the east coast from his native Los Angeles. As he was unloading his car, he was approached by a man in a ski mask.
"You could smell time, like everything is just sort of happening in slow motion," Nagle said. "I went to get my puppy's crate out of the car and he just came up with a gun and said, ‘Give me the keys.’”
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
Nagle said he complied, and later, a helpful bystander gave him a ride and followed the carjacker.
The thief was then struck by another car, about 3 miles away at Jay Street NE and Kenilworth Terrace NE, and came to a stop.
"Thankfully it was a well-traveled neighborhood and like four people called 911 all at once," Nagle said.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Police arrived a short time later and arrested the suspect, whose name has not been revealed. Authorities said they recovered a gun.
"Just crazy. It's a very emotional time,” Nagle said. "All things considered – he didn't like pistol whip me or anything. It was just kind of like, ‘Give me your keys,’ and the wisest thing to do is probably just give your keys."
Carjackings are on the rise in D.C. According to police data, there have been 183 carjackings involving firearms so far this year, compared to 112 this time last year in 2021.
