A Herndon police officer won’t face charges after shooting a driver this summer who was waving a handgun at police officers during a police chase, Fairfax County prosecutors announced Friday (Oct. 28).
The officer, whose name was withheld, reportedly fired five rounds and shot the driver three times in the July 5 incident. The driver was hospitalized for at least 15 days.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said that his review found that the officer was “reasonable” in fearing for his life or serious bodily-harm.
“It wast therefore legally permissible for shooting officer to use the level of force he deployed,” Descano said in a statement. “Accordingly, I find no violations of criminal law on the part of shooting officer and decline to bring any criminal charge against him.”
The investigation by Descano’s office included references to dispatch records, radio communications, reports, interviews, camera footage and physical evidence. The police officer who shot the man did not have a functioning body-worn camera.
The man — who recovered from his injuries — was stopped by a police officer on July 5 after another officer reported that a stolen car was parked at 1110 Elden Street.
The driver and a passenger ran away when the officer approached the car, resulting in a foot pursuit towards Alabama Drive.
The officer who later shot the man and two other officers eventually tracked the driver and passenger to Alabama Drive Park.
When the driver was boxed in near single-family homes on Treeside Lane, the shooting officer said the driver “brandished a pistol,” according to Descano. Another officer warned the shooting police officer of the gun and called on the man to immediately drop his weapon. The shooting officer issued similar warnings.
The officer then fired their gun five times and struck the driver three times. Police apprehended the passenger when she climbed over the brick wall where the driver was cornered to check on him after he was shot.
FFXnow asked the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office whether the driver is facing any charges and for comment on the shooting officer’s body camera not being on, but did not receive responses by press time.
CA Descano's report on the July 5th, 2022 officer involved shooting in Herndon. pic.twitter.com/tUBrUjXa93
— Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Descano (@FairfaxCountyCA) October 28, 2022
Recent Stories
Planned facility upgrades will require the Reston Regional Library to close for an extended period this summer. Friday, June 28, will be the last day of public operations for the aging…
Sentencing of Driver in Fatal Oakton Crash Delayed — “The sentencing hearing in the manslaughter case of two Oakton High School students killed in a June 7, 2022, crash abruptly stopped…
Good Thursday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier…
Nearly 14 years after Clifton Elementary School shuttered, its sign has been repurposed. The sign now serves as a bulletin for local organizations, businesses, and community groups to promote events…
The Gillion Academy’s Home School Basketball Program begins Fall 2024 for 7th – 12th Grade student-athletes to complete their online academic studies in a supervised and focused setting while receiving elite training from our professional basketball trainers at The Gillion Basketball Academy, a state of the art training facility in Springfield, Va. We have developed over 200 college athletes and placed over 50 players in the NBA and pro leagues overseas and provide the same level of training for our student-athletes.
We will have a virtual Open House Zoom on May 6th at 7:30PM so please go to our website to learn more about us and to fill out an interest form and register for the event and learn about the top training facility in the DMV area.
Any questions please email our Director at philip.budwick@gil-lionbasketballacademy.com.
For many remote workers, a messy home is distracting.
You’re getting pulled into meetings, and your unread emails keep ticking up. But you can’t focus because pet hair tumbleweeds keep floating across the floor, your desk has a fine layer of dust and you keep your video off in meetings so no one sees the chaos behind you.
It’s no secret a dirty home is distracting and even adds stress to your life. And who has the energy to clean after work? That’s why it’s smart to enlist the help of professionals, like Well-Paid Maids.
Pedal with Petals Family Bike Ride
Join us on Saturday, May 11th and ride into spring during our Pedal with Petals Family Bike Ride. Back for its second year, Pedal with Petals is going to be bigger than ever. This year’s event will include both an
Encore Creativity for Older Adults at Capital One Hall
Encore Creativity for Older Adults is pleased to raise the curtain and welcome community members to its spring concert at Capital One Hall in Tysons, VA on May 4, 2024. The concert, which starts at 3 PM, will bring hundreds
