Teen Found Fatally Shot, Students Blame PTSD From Pandemic For Violence: Official

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A 16-year-old Fort Washington boy has been fatally shot. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.

On Oct. 9 at approximately 5:40 p.m., officers responded to the 8300 block of Indian Head Highway for the report of a shooting. Elijah Fletcher was found inside an apartment building with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Prince George's County Police Department.

A number of shots were fired inside a ground-floor laundry room. Bullet holes could be seen in a door and a wall. One of the shots flew into a resident’s home, NBC Washington reported.

“One came through my bedroom wall, hit my TV,” a resident told the TV station.

Detectives are working to determine a motive and identify a suspect(s). Anyone with information on this case who would like to speak to a detective can call 301-516-2512.

Shortly after Fletcher had been shot to death, students at Flowers High School informed Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy as to what they believe is fueling the violence. They said the pandemic has left them with PTSD and their parents are not listening to them. It was a session in the school’s auditorium that the state’s attorney called “powerful,” NBC Washington reported.

"This was one of the most consequential conversations any of us have had with the young people who were so courageous today to share with us what they were feeling," Alsobrooks said. “The isolation they described, the anxiety, the depression, the fact the pandemic made them feel they are growing up too quickly because of the incessant connection to social media."

“One of the things they said is you can develop kind of your own persona on social media, and that’s why guns become so important for these young people who want to act like tough guys or girls, and so having those guns and being on social media with those weapons gives off a persona that they, you know, want to show the world," Braveboy added.