A 15-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to the beating of an ex-DOGE staffer, an incident that triggered President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to restore order in Washington, D.C. The assault, which occurred in August, led to public outrage and intensified political discourse over youth violence and the city’s crime rate.
The 15-year-old, from Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty in D.C. juvenile court to felony assault, simple assault, robbery and attempted robbery related to the beating of former DOGE staffer Edward Coristine, according to local outlet NBC Washington. Coristine, better known by his nickname, ‘Big Balls,’ was assaulted at approximately 3 a.m. by a group of teenagers in D.C.’s Logan Circle neighborhood. The teens allegedly attempted to carjack him and his significant other, according to authorities.
Police said Coristine pushed the woman into the vehicle for safety and turned to confront the attackers. A photo of a bloodied Coristine went viral, sparking outrage over the city’s handling of crime and drawing President Donald Trump’s attention. The president slammed D.C., saying crime in the city was ‘totally out of control.’
Days later, Trump directed federal law enforcement to increase its presence throughout D.C. He also deployed members of the National Guard to patrol the city and assumed federal control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Trump touted the takeover’s success in stopping crime in the city, saying in late August, ‘We’ve had some incredible results, and results have come out, and it’s like a different place. It’s like a different city.’
House lawmakers also advanced a bill led by Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, that would make juvenile offenders as young as 14 eligible to be tried as adults if accused of certain violent crimes. That age limit is currently at 16. The bill covers crimes including murder, first-degree sexual abuse, burglary in the first degree, robbery while armed or assault with intent to commit any such offense, according to a press release on Gill’s website.
Since then, Trump has suggested he would take a similar approach to cracking down on crime in other major American cities. On Sept. 15, he signed a presidential memorandum titled ‘Restoring Law and Order in Memphis,’ mobilizing the National Guard to the city and establishing a ‘Memphis Safe Task Force’ like the D.C. task force.