MPD Officer, Fatal Shooting, Washington D.C. 2016

In a tragic incident that has left many questioning the use of force by law enforcement, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of Peter John, Jr., a 36-year-old man who was armed with a BB gun.

The incident occurred on February 1, 2016, in the Clay Terrace area of Northeast Washington, where Officer [officer’s name] was patrolling in a marked MPD sport utility vehicle. According to the investigation, John was seen running from the officer, who then chased him on foot through the housing area.

As John turned left into the 5300 block of Clay Terrace, he slipped on the wet ground and fell, causing the BB gun to fall from his hand. The officer, who was right behind John, could not stop his momentum and ended up straddling John while activating the emergency button on his radio for help.

The officer ordered John to show his hands, but instead, John struggled repeatedly to push himself up from the ground while reaching under his body in the direction of the gun. As John raised up, the officer fired one round, fatally wounding John in the neck area.

While the shooting was not captured on video, the footage of the dimly lit area shows furtive movements by John, including him emerging from behind a building near Cloud Place, and his unprovoked flight from the officer.

After a thorough review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer used excessive force under the circumstances. To the contrary, there is sufficient evidence to corroborate the officer’s account that he was acting in self-defense at the time of the shooting.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. In this case, the investigation found that the officer’s actions were justified, and no charges will be filed.

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