2nd teen who escaped youth detention caught in DC, police say

D.C. police have arrested the second of three teens who escaped Sunday from a youth detention facility in Pennsylvania that the District contracts with.

Police said they caught 18-year-old Javontay Johnson on Tuesday night in Southeast. Officers took a 17-year-old into custody Sunday night after the group of teens allegedly escaped juvenile detention, stole a car and returned to D.C.

A 15-year-old boy remains on the loose.

After the three teens returned to the District, police said the car they had stolen in Pennsylvania was involved in a robbery and shooting, setting off a search during which three people were arrested, including one of the escaped teens.

Police also said they recovered an AR-15-style rifle on Sunday night.

The group was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, robbery and other firearm offenses.

Police did not share the charges against Johnson.

The three escaped teens had convictions in D.C. and were being held in a D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services facility in Pennsylvania.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Thomas Robertson

Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up