Armed Officer Chanel Clinton Sentenced for Shooting Woman in D.C. Convenience Store Brawl

WASHINGTON – In a brazen display of force gone wrong, a 27-year-old armed Special Police Officer was sentenced to 36 months in prison for shooting a woman in a Northeast Washington D.C. convenience store.

Chanel Clinton, of Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon on February 7, 2024. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian ordered Clinton to serve five years of probation.

The January 18, 2024 shooting occurred at a 7-Eleven on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. Clinton, who was assigned to the convenience store, got into an argument with the victim, a former acquaintance, when the victim videoed Clinton in a taunting manner. The two continued their verbal altercation in the parking lot.

An off-duty Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant happened to be paying for his purchases inside the 7-Eleven when he heard the argument in the parking lot. The sergeant, who was in full uniform, walked outside as Clinton grabbed the victim in the face, and Clinton and the victim began to fight.

The sergeant briefly separated the two women before Clinton pulled out her service weapon and fired once, hitting the victim in the shoulder just above the collarbone. The sergeant, who had ordered Clinton to drop her weapon before she fired, immediately placed Clinton under arrest.

The victim was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. Investigators recovered a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol at the scene. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence prosecuted the case. This latest incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of off-duty officers carrying firearms, and the importance of de-escalation techniques in volatile situations.”>