DC police name suspect in officer’s fatal shooting; additional charges possible
WASHINGTON - Authorities have identified a man wanted in connection to the death of a D.C. police officer last week.
UPDATE: Arrest made in DC officer's fatal shooting
The suspect, 27-year-old Tyrell Bailey, is currently wanted for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Tyrell Bailey, 27. Photo via
However, experts disagree on whether Bailey could face additional charges related to the officer’s death.
Fallen DC officer honored with memorial, procession after accidental shooting
A fallen D.C. police officer was honored with a procession Friday as his body was transported to a funeral home just outside the District. Officer Wayne David, who was fatally shot two days earlier, was moved from the medical examiner’s office in D.C. to Pope’s Funeral Home in Forestville.
The incident occurred last Wednesday when police officers were in the 4500 block of Quarles Street Northeast.
Officers observed Bailey exiting a suspicious vehicle. As they attempted to make contact, Bailey fled, leaping onto the southbound lanes of I-295 and discarding a firearm into a storm drain. When veteran D.C. police investigator Wayne David attempted to retrieve the weapon, it discharged, fatally wounding him.
Bailey managed to escape and is now sought for firearm possession.
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In light of these events, two defense attorneys offered differing opinions on the potential for additional charges against Bailey.
Tony Garcia expressed doubt that Bailey would face charges directly related to Officer David’s death, stating that "dropping a gun down the storm drain, once it goes down there, it’s abandoned property. At that point, you’re asking yourself, was this some sort of negligence on the officer’s part?"
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Mark Anderson suggested that a charge like reckless endangerment or even depraved heart murder could be considered, though he acknowledged that securing a conviction might be challenging.
Anderson emphasized the importance of understanding how the gun was retrieved, noting that "intervening acts could change the charges drastically."
D.C. police have indicated that additional charges against Bailey are possible, but the final decision will rest with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which has declined to comment.