Kay Family, OAG Reach Agreement in Settlement Dispute

August 21, 2026

The family of Deon Kay, who was fatally shot by a Metropolitan Police Department officer in September 2020, has reached a final settlement agreement with D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb after months of dispute over compensation. Although a civil jury initially awarded the Kay family $655,000, Schwalb appealed that decision, prompting public criticism from activists and community leaders who demanded he drop the appeal. After the family's attorney contacted Mayor Muriel Bowser in July, the mayor approved a settlement amount that was less than the jury award but higher than what Schwalb could authorize independently.

Who is affected

The Kay family (family of Deon Kay)
Congress Heights residents
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Dascha Cleckley (representative of Single-Member District 8C03)
Black communities in D.C.
Activists affiliated with Harriet's Wildest Dreams
Local clergy and faith leaders including Rahim Jenkins, Nee Nee Taylor, Dr. Josephine Mourning, Rev. George C. Gilbert Jr., Bishop Andre Gray, Steven Park, Rev. Anthony Radcliff, and Rev. Michael C. Bell
D.C. taxpayers

What action is being taken

Federal law enforcement officers and National Guard troops are walking the streets of Congress Heights alongside D.C. police officers
Activists are fighting the launch of a new Department of Homeland Security headquarters
President Donald J. Trump has launched the D.C. Safe & Beautiful Task Force

Why it matters

This settlement matters because it represents acknowledgment by the D.C. government that wrongdoing occurred in Deon Kay's death, which community leaders say is important in a neighborhood where issues are often ignored or covered up. The case highlights broader concerns about police accountability, the relationship between law enforcement and Black communities, and the valuation of Black lives in civil proceedings. It also demonstrates tensions around fiscal authority between the attorney general and mayor, as well as ongoing struggles over police presence and tactics in predominantly Black neighborhoods. The prolonged dispute over the settlement amount delayed closure and mourning for the family while using taxpayer money for appeals.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer