At a Glance
- Court
- District of Columbia Superior Court
- Case Type
- Plea Deal
- Parties
- District of Columbia v. Benjamin Srigley
- Jurisdiction
- Washington, D.C.
- Date
- 2013-07-23
- Status
- Dismissed
- Amount
- $1,000
A Washington, D.C., man charged with possession of an unregistered firearm had his case dismissed in July 2013 after completing a deferred prosecution agreement, according to The Washington Post [1]. The charge stemmed from an incident in January 2013, when Benjamin Srigley used an unregistered handgun to shoot and kill a dog that was attacking a child near his home [1]. The resolution drew attention to the tension between the District's strict gun registration laws and the instinct to intervene in a life-threatening emergency.
Three pit bulls had been running loose in Northwest Washington's Brightwood neighborhood when they attacked an 11-year-old boy riding a dirt bike. Neighbor Benjamin Srigley intervened, retrieved his 9mm Ruger P-90 handgun from his house, and fatally shot one of the animals [1][2]. A D.C. police officer on bicycle patrol then responded and shot and killed the other two pit bulls [2]. Despite acting to protect the child, Srigley faced legal exposure under the District's firearms statutes because his handgun was unregistered.
Authorities reached an agreement not to prosecute Srigley for possessing the unregistered handgun, on the condition that he paid a $1,000 fine and stayed out of trouble [1][2]. A D.C. Superior Court judge cleared Srigley's record after he completed the agreement and paid the fine [1]. As an additional condition, Srigley, who had a planned move to Maryland, agreed to register his handgun and two long guns he had in storage [1]. The D.C. Office of the Attorney General handled the matter, and the Washington Post reported that public reaction to the prosecution of a man who intervened in a child's attack was a significant factor in the office's decision to pursue a negotiated resolution rather than trial.
A deferred prosecution agreement is a pre-trial diversion mechanism sometimes offered to first-time offenders of minor offenses in Washington, D.C. It allows a defendant to satisfy a set of conditions in exchange for dismissal of charges before trial, and the defendant does not admit guilt by entering into the agreement [3]. The Washington Times reported that the boy, identified as Jayeon, suffered several bites during the attack and was also struck in the ankle by the gunfire, requiring multiple surgeries [2]. No civil proceedings arising from those injuries were detailed in available court records.
The case highlighted the practical limits of Washington, D.C.'s firearms registration regime in emergency scenarios. The District maintains some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, and prosecutors are still required to prove every element of a charge beyond a reasonable doubt while respecting constitutional rights [3]. Srigley's case closed without a conviction, but the $1,000 fine and the registration conditions remained as enforceable terms of the agreement he completed.
References
[1] The Washington Post. (2013, July 23). Gun charge dropped against D.C. man who shot pit bull attacking child. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/gun-charge-dropped-against-dc-man-who-shot-pit-bull-attacking-child/2013/07/23/c9f6e6f6-f2e4-11e2-bdae-0d1f78989e8a_story.html
[2] The Washington Times. (2013, May 19). D.C. man won't face gun charges for shooting pit bull attacking boy. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/19/dc-man-wont-face-gun-charges-shooting-pit-bull-att/
[3] Boyle & Jasari. (2026, February 9). How to get a gun charge dismissed in Washington, D.C. https://www.boylejasari.com/how-to-get-a-gun-charge-dismissed/