Jacob Walker, a grieving father who lost his son in a deadly carjacking spree in Washington, D.C., appeared on ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss the growing concern surrounding the crime crisis nationwide. The city has seen a relentless wave of carjackings in 2024, keeping pace with the record-breaking previous year. The latest incident resulted in the death of former Trump administration official Mike Gill. As of Saturday, there have been 56 reported carjackings in the city since the start of the year, similar to the numbers reported during the same period last year, according to data from D.C.’s Metropolitan Police.
Mike Gill, who served as Trump’s chief of staff at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, was tragically shot and killed in his vehicle last week. The incident occurred in the 900 block of K Street NW, less than a mile from the White House. Gill’s death marks another victim of the surging crime in the nation’s capital. In 2023, carjackings nearly doubled compared to the previous year, with a reported 958 cases. High-profile individuals, including U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar and an FBI agent, fell victim to these crimes.
The surge in carjackings has sparked outrage and finger-pointing among politicians and community members. Some Democratic politicians have targeted automobile manufacturers, blaming them for omitting anti-theft technology. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has attributed the rise in car thefts to a social media challenge and has even provided free steering wheel locks to prevent such crimes. The majority of carjacking arrests in the city involve juveniles, with the most common age group being 15 and 16.
Carjackings in Washington, D.C., peaked during the summer months of June and July, with 140 and 121 reported cases, respectively. The city’s crime crisis is not limited to carjackings, as homicides have also seen a significant increase. In 2023, the city recorded 274 homicides, the highest number since 2003. So far this year, nine murders have been reported.
The alarming rise in carjackings and homicides in Washington, D.C., highlights the urgent need for effective measures to combat the crime crisis. The city’s residents and leaders are grappling with the devastating consequences of these crimes, and efforts to address the situation are ongoing.
