Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has deleted a tweet in which she shared the DC Metro police’s instructions on ways to prevent a carjacking, Fox News reports. This comes after Bowser faced a backlash for not mentioning two recent carjacking incidents that left one man dead in her tweet, posted on 28 March.
"Auto theft is a crime of opportunity," Bowser wrote. "Follow these steps to reduce the risk of your vehicle becoming a target. Remember the motto, #ProtectYourAuto.", the now-deleted tweet read.
Some people accused the mayor of shifting the blame for carjacking incidents onto victims, with numerous netizens condemning Bowser for failing to comment on the death of an Uber Eats delivery driver in a recent incident.
According to a statement from Bowser’s Office of Communications, provided to Fox News, the tweet was aimed at raising awareness about a significant increase in auto theft and carjacking-related risks to the lives of people.
"Today's pre-scheduled social media post was part of that effort and should not detract from the tragic death of Mohammad Anwar. Our thoughts and prayers remain with his family and the families of those we have lost to violence," the statement says.
Last week, two teenage girls attempted to carjack a vehicle from an Uber Eats delivery driver. The incident ended in a crash that left the driver fatally injured. The girls, 13 and 15, were charged with felony murder and armed carjacking. Their identities have not been revealed as they are charged as juveniles.
The statistics, provided by police, shows that carjacking incidents have been increasing in Washington DC over the last years.