(NewsNation) — U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro blamed illegal guns and lack of accountability for the deaths of dozens of young people as the nation’s capital reached 100 homicides this year.
Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, one day after President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency and announced a federal takeover of D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, Pirro displayed posters showing 29 youths killed by gunfire in 2024 and 16 in 2025.
“I guarantee you that every one of these shootings was with an illegal gun,” Pirro said. “It’s guns on the streets. It’s individuals who are not concerned about accountability, who don’t have any reason to fear law enforcement.”
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Pirro said the district ranked fourth highest nationally in gun deaths two years ago and criticized what she called lenient treatment of young offenders by the D.C. Council. She called for eliminating three local laws that she said prioritized rehabilitation over punishment.
“No more of this D.C. Council, ‘Oh, you know, if they’re under 16, or if they’re under 19, or if they’re under 25, we’ll give them probation.’ No more, I’m done with that,” Pirro said…