Washington DC

Mother of Karon Hylton-Brown Confronts DC Mayor During Public Event

Hylton-Brown was killed after he crashed his scooter into a passing van as DC police chased him

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The mother of Karon Hylton-Brown, who was killed last October during a D.C. police chase, confronted Mayor Muriel Bowser about the investigation into her son's death at a public event Wednesday.

"I'm trying my best to be a respectful citizen but I'm asking you, woman to woman, when your officers chased and killed my child, nothing came from you," Karen Hylton said to Bowser.

The confrontation came at the end of a press event Bowser held on U Street promoting tourism in the city.

"What is going on with the case with my son? It's been eight months," Karen Hylton said.

"Ms. Hylton, I'm happy to talk to you about specifics of your son's case," Bowser responded.

"But why did it take so long? I had to come out here. It's been eight months," Karen Hylton said.

Home security video shows police pursuing Hylton-Brown down 8th Street NW before he turned into a nearby alley.

Body camera footage shows officers following him moments before he was struck by an oncoming vehicle on Kennedy Street.

At the time of the fatal crash, police said they pursued Hylton-Brown because he was riding the scooter without a helmet. D.C. police are not allowed to initiate a chase for traffic violations.

The incident sparked several days of protests outside the 2nd District Police Station in Northwest D.C.

Bowser said Wednesday that the family was kept up-to-date about the investigation, which the U.S. Attorney's Office is conducting.

"I think you know there's been a lot of developments in your son's case," Bowser told Karen Hylton.

Hylton responded, "No one from your office has reached out to me so I wasn't aware of that."

"Ms. Hylton, you know that’s not true. No, that's not true. No, that's not. You know very well that's not true. Okay, any other questions for us?" Bowser said.

The four D.C. officers involved in the chase remain on paid administrative leave.

"They're sitting at home still being paid for this," Hylton said.

"As a woman, as a mother, that's my child. I need answers," she said.

News4 has reached out to the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the mayor's office for an update on the investigation and to understand what the mayor meant when she said there were developments in the case. No offices have responded to our request.

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