The former Fairfax County police officer who fatally shot Timothy McCree Johnson outside Tysons Corner Center in February 2023 has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows sentenced former sergeant Wesley Shifflett to five years of incarceration today (Friday) with two years suspended, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced.
Shifflett, who’s now 36 years old, was also sentenced to an additional five years of probation.
After a nearly two-week trial, a jury convicted Shifflett on Oct. 4, 2024 of recklessly handling a firearm when he shot Johnson, but he was acquitted of manslaughter.
According to police and prosecutors, Shifflett and another officer, James Sadler, began chasing Johnson around 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 22, 2023 after the 37-year-old D.C. resident allegedly stole two pairs of sunglasses from Nordstrom at Tysons Corner Center.
After crossing a parking lot and entering a wooded area near the mall, Shifflett and Sadler both fired their guns. Johnson was hit once in the chest and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Shifflett was later identified as the officer who fired the fatal shot, and the Fairfax County Police Department announced in March 2023 that he would be terminated.
Though a grand jury initially declined to indict Shifflett, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano secured an indictment on Oct. 12, 2023 after convening a second, special grand jury.
Before his sentencing, Shifflett’s attorneys attempted to get the guilty verdict dismissed, arguing that his actions had been intentional based on his training and didn’t amount to criminal negligence. However, his conviction was upheld by a judge in January.
Shifflett’s sentencing came just over two years after the shooting, Descano noted in a statement:
“Two years ago, Timothy Johnson was shot and killed at the Tysons Corner Center Mall. This case is, and always has been, about him, his unnecessary death, and his family’s grief. Today, the person who was responsible for this tragedy has been held accountable. I hope that today’s hearing, and the conclusion of this case, brings the Johnson family a step closer on their path to healing, and I want to thank them for their tremendous grace through this process.
“Trust in policing is essential to community safety. When tragedies like this occur, trust can only be repaired by seeking accountability through the justice system, and failing to do so would make the work of our police force – who are as dedicated to community safety as I am – that much harder.”
The attorneys representing Shifflett didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
