Arrest Made In Columbia Heights Child Murder

VIA WJLA:

D.C. police have made an arrest in the shooting death of 9-year-old Oscar Fuentes, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed.

Law enforcement sources identified the suspect as Josue Pena, 26. He was arrested on Drexel Street in Hyattsville just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, the sources said.

Oscar was shot to death in his family’s apartment in the 1400 block of Columbia Road in Northwest Saturday night.

Authorities plan to announce more details at a 10 a.m. news conference Tuesday.

A vigil was held Monday night for Oscar Fuentes and a community wrapped its arms around a family devastated by his death. They gathered in front of the Columbia Heights Apartment where Oscar was killed.

“He was an angel,” said Oscar’s cousin Rufino Fuentes. “He’s not suffering in this world anymore.”

We’re told Oscar’s mother was too distraught to be there, but sent this message:

“She wants justice, she want the person who killed her son to be behind bars. And she’s going to be waiting for that moment,” stated Fuentes.

Fuentes says, according to family members, this is what happened the night they lost Oscar: someone was hassling the family in the hallway and the family fled to the safety of their apartment.

“And they believe he stayed behind the door watching through the little hole in there to the hallway,” said Fuentes.

Moments later, someone fired a shot into the door.

Fuentes said, “And then they saw the little boy was crying and calling ‘Mom, Mom look what they did to me.'”

The night of remembrance proved too overwhelming for one of Oscar’s cousins, who collapsed near the end of the vigil. She was checked out and expected to be ok. It was yet another moment of uncertainty for a family who has already experienced enough heartache.

“There’s a reason we didn’t bring the entire family,” said Fuentes. “This is just too devastating.”

Residents in the community remain concerned about the level of security while city leaders focus on the troubling building, riddled with gang activity.

“You don’t have to look any further than the front door these are all gang tags,” said D.C. Councilman Jim Graham.

Managers of the Columbia Heights apartment building tell ABC 7 News a new, more secured door will be installed in a couple of days. Property managers also say they plan to hire security officers to keep watch of the building during operation hours.

Source