The Metropolitan Police Department is providing an update on unlawful activity observed in Navy Yard Friday and Saturday evening, which resulted in a total of 23 arrests. Unlawful activity was not observed in the area on Sunday evening.
During the evening hours of Friday, July 4, 2025, First District officers responded to numerous calls regarding disorderly behavior by groups of juveniles, including the use of illegal fireworks. Most of the activity was observed around the area of First and M Street, Southeast. As a result of these calls, additional officers were called to the area to dissuade further illegal activity.
First District officers made a total of 18 arrests from Friday night through the early morning hours Saturday, 15 juveniles and three adults, which are listed below:
- 15 Fireworks related Charges:
- 14-year-old Juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 17-year-old juvenile male of Northeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 15-year-old juvenile male of Southwest, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
- 15-year-old juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
- 16-year-old juvenile male of Northwest, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 15-year-old juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 16-year-old juvenile male of Northwest, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
- 16-year-old juvenile male of Greenbelt, MD arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 15-year-old juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
- 15-year-old juvenile male of Northeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 14-year-old juvenile male of Northeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 16-year-old juvenile male of Southwest, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 13-year-old juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 14-year-old juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 37-year-old Chifawn Octavia Watts of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Threats to do Bodily Harm and Fireworks – Possession.
Three non-fireworks related arrests:
- A 14-year-old juvenile male of Upper Marlboro, MD was arrested and charged with Carrying a Pistol without a License. A firearm was recovered.
- 25-year-old Anthony Sims of Capitol Heights, MD was arrested and charged with Public Consumption of Marijuana.
- 25-year-old Davon Lucas of Northwest, DC was arrested and charged with Simple Assault.
First District officers also stopped a 12-year-old and a 16-year-old for Curfew violations after curfew went into effect at midnight. Both juveniles were later released to parents or guardians.
On the evening of Saturday, July 5, 2025, smaller groups of juveniles engaged in similar unlawful activity around New Jersey Avenue and M Street, Southeast. An enhanced presence of First District officers disrupted the behavior, resulting in the arrest of five juveniles for fireworks related charges. Saturday evening’s arrests are listed below:
- 12-year-old-juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge and Fireworks – Possession.
- 13-year-old-juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
- 13-year-old-juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
- 14-year-old-juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 15-year-old-juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
400 fireworks, including roman candles, firecrackers, and fireworks rockets, were recovered in the Navy Yard area throughout the weekend.
As activity dissipated in the Navy Yard area Saturday evening, some groups traveled to the U Street corridor, where MPD’s Third District had deployed additional resources to deter behavior already observed in Navy Yard. Seven additional fireworks related arrests were made Saturday night in the Third District and are listed below:
- 16-year-old juvenile male of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 16-year-old juvenile male of Northwest, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Possession.
- 18-year-old Kenneth Reynolds of no fixed address arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 18-year-old Andre Wilson of no fixed address arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 19-year-old Javon Avents of Northeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge and Fireworks – Possession.
- 21-year-old Tranquan Anderson of Southeast, DC arrested and charged with Fireworks – Discharge.
- 25-year-old Michael Wardell Coker of Upper Marlboro, MD arrested and charged with Assault on a Police Officer and Fireworks – Discharge.
This enforcement in both Navy Yard and the U Street Corridor resulted in a total of 27 fireworks related arrests.
Groups engaging in disorderly behavior were not observed in either Navy Yard or the U Street corridor on Sunday evening.
MPD reiterates that the use of all fireworks that launch and explode is illegal in the District of Columbia. We urge anyone who observes illegal activity in the District of Columbia to contact us. In an emergency, call 911. For suspicious activity that is not an emergency, call MPD