#DC teen charged with four murders, including pregnant woman

Police respond to the killing 31 year-old Terrance Griffin, 20-year-old Jaszel Henderson, 21-year-old Brea Moon and 18-year-old Antwuan Roach.
NBC Washington

Michael Mason — who just turned 16 in March — has been charged in nine shootings over seven weeks, which started just 11 days after he was released from juvenile detention, The Washington Post reported.

He is charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of assault with intent to kill, assault with intent to murder while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon, police said Monday. 

D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said it was the most serious slew of charges faced by a teen that he could recall from his 30-year career.

Mason was traced after an alleged victim gave cops a photo — and they used facial recognition software to find images of him on social media, the paper said. The teen allegedly even tried to sell a .40-caliber gun on Instagram after one of the homicides.

His first alleged victim was Brea Moon, a 21-year-old pregnant woman, who was used as a “human shield” by the teenager’s intended target during a drive-by shooting, The Daily Mail reported, citing an affidavit in the case.

Mason admitted being in the back of a white Honda Crosstour used in the shooting — but insisted the vehicle’s driver fired the shot that killed Moon on April 7, The Washington Post said.

He “did not even know there was a female in the car they shot at,” the affidavit says. 

“The defendant admitted the intention of the killing was someone else who had been causing problems in his neighborhood,” the affidavit says — with the real target shielding himself behind Moon.

Another teen, Daquan Jones, 19, was on Sunday also charged with one count of first-degree murder over that shooting, police said.

Mason is also charged with the May 19 murders of Jaszel Henderson, 20, and Terrance Griffin, 31, as well as May 22 killing of Antwuan Roach, 18, police said.

At least five other people were injured in other shootings, all linked to the Simple City crew, the Washington Post said.

Mason’s attorney nor parents did not respond to requests for comment, the paper said.