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White House calls DC policies ‘insanity’ after 19-year-old gunman gets probation in shooting
A 19-year-old Washington, D.C., man convicted of firing more than 20 shots into a neighbourhood and wounding a boy has been released on supervised probation. The White House criticised the sentence as evidence of what it called the city’s “soft-on-crime” policies, renewing debate over how D.C. balances rehabilitation with accountability.
Darius Drew pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and carrying a pistol without a licence after the May shooting. Judge Jennifer Di Toro suspended a two-year prison term and ordered 18 months of probation under the Youth Rehabilitation Act, despite prosecutors seeking five years in prison and opposing his release. The act can allow eligible people who committed offences before age 25 to receive sentences below mandatory minimums; Drew had been in custody for nearly six months.
In short
- A 19-year-old convicted in a shooting was released on probation.
- The judge applied D.C.’s Youth Rehabilitation Act.
- The decision has renewed debate over sentencing policy.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the sentence can argue that the Youth Rehabilitation Act recognises young people’s capacity to change and allows judges to tailor punishment to individual circumstances. Drew had spent nearly six months in custody, and supervised probation may support rehabilitation and reduce the harms of imprisonment while still imposing conditions and accountability.
The case against
Critics can argue that firing more than 20 shots into a neighbourhood and wounding a child calls for a substantial custodial sentence, both to reflect the seriousness of the harm and to protect the public. They may also contend that suspending the prison term risks weakening deterrence and public confidence, particularly when prosecutors sought a longer sentence and opposed release.