Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old former staffer for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was brutally beaten by a group of ten juveniles while stopping an attempted carjacking near downtown Washington, D.C., early Sunday morning. According to police, Coristine pushed his female companion into the vehicle for safety before confronting the group, who then assaulted him.
Police say they witnessed the attack in progress and intervened immediately, causing most of the group to flee. Two suspects — both 15-year-olds from Maryland — were arrested and charged with unarmed carjacking. Coristine suffered a broken nose, concussion, and black eye, and had his iPhone stolen.
Former DOGE director Elon Musk and President Donald Trump both addressed the incident online. Trump posted a photo of the bloodied victim and blamed D.C. leaders, warning of a possible federal intervention due to rising crime in the nation’s capital.
Coristine resigned from DOGE in June. He was hailed as a “hero” by a former colleague who witnessed the attack and shared the viral photo now circulating widely on social media.
