Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer known as “Big Balls,” was brutally attacked in Washington, D.C., after heroically defending a woman during an attempted carjacking. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on August 3, 2025, near Swann Street and 14th Street in the Logan Circle neighborhood. Coristine, now a Social Security Administration employee, stepped in to protect his significant other, Emily Bryant, when a group of approximately ten juveniles surrounded their vehicle, demanding the car and stealing a $1,000 iPhone 16. He sustained severe injuries, including a concussion, but ensured the woman’s safety.
D.C. Metropolitan Police arrested two 15-year-olds from Hyattsville, Maryland—a boy and a girl—charging them with unarmed carjacking. Several other suspects fled and remain at large. The attack, described as part of a pattern of youth-led carjackings, prompted President Donald Trump to threaten federal control of D.C., calling it a “crime-ridden death trap.” Former DOGE head Elon Musk praised Coristine’s bravery, noting he “ran to defend her and was severely beaten.” A graphic photo shared by Trump showed Coristine bloodied and slumped on the pavement.
The incident has fueled debates over juvenile crime, with Trump and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro advocating for prosecuting teens as adults. D.C.’s juvenile arrest rate, nearly double the national average, underscores persistent concerns about youth violence. Coristine’s actions have been hailed as heroic, spotlighting both his courage and the ongoing challenge of urban crime.
