Suspect arrested in fatal hit-and-run that killed DC moped rider during police pursuit
WASHINGTON, DC – More than a year after a man on a moped was killed by a driver fleeing a traffic stop in downtown DC, police have arrested a 32-year-old suspect now charged with Second Degree Murder while Armed.
Jalen McLendon, of Northeast DC, was taken into custody Tuesday by the Capital Area Fugitive Task Force following a lengthy investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Investigations Unit.
The crash happened on August 31, 2024, at approximately 3:30 a.m., when a Second District officer observed a vehicle operating without headlights in the 1600 block of K Street, Northwest. The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the driver continued at a low speed before accelerating onto 17th Street NW, crossing into the opposite lane and running a red light at 15th and L Street NW.
As the vehicle sped through the red light, it struck 25-year-old Alpha Oumar Kake, who was riding a moped through the intersection on a green signal. The suspect fled the scene, while the officer immediately rendered aid. Kake was transported to a local hospital by DC Fire and EMS but died from his injuries on October 1 after more than a month of hospitalization.
The suspect remained unidentified for over a year until MPD detectives gathered enough evidence to secure an arrest warrant. McLendon was located and arrested on November 4.
He is currently facing charges in DC Superior Court. The case remains under investigation.
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Key Points
- A 25-year-old moped rider was killed in a hit-and-run after a vehicle fled a police stop in downtown DC
- The suspect, Jalen McLendon, was arrested more than a year later and charged with Second Degree Murder while Armed
- The crash occurred on August 31, 2024; the victim died on October 1 after weeks in the hospital
