DC police release body camera footage from 2 officer-involved shootings

WASHINGTON - D.C. police Tuesday night released body-worn camera footage from two separate police-involved shootings that happened just hours apart in the same area of Northwest D.C. 

Both shootings happened on Tuesday, Feb. 18. In one incident, a suspect who police say was wielding a knife was shot and killed. 

In the other incident, shots were fired at two suspects who were allegedly firing shots in the area. Neither of the suspects were struck and have not been apprehended. 

Deadly officer-involved shooting

What Happened:

Just before 6:15 p.m. on Feb. 18, a patrol officer was driving in the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue when his marked police cruiser was struck by a suspect who veered into oncoming traffic. 

In the video, you can see the suspect get out of his car and walk up to the police cruiser, asking the officer "what's wrong with him." 

The suspect then pulls out a knife and reaches in through the open driver's side window of the police car, slashing at the officer and demanding that he hand over his service weapon. 

The officer moves over to the passenger seat and tells the suspect multiple times to back away. When the suspect continued swinging the knife, the officer fired his weapon. 

After the shooting, the officer exited the vehicle and requested emergency medical services while checking on the suspect, who then picked up his knife and began walking toward the officer.

RELATED: Witnesses question use of force in deadly DC Police shooting

Ignoring additional commands to drop the weapon, the suspect entered another police cruiser further down the block. Officers called for backup and a protective shield while repeatedly ordering the suspect to exit the vehicle. When the suspect finally emerged, still holding the knife, he approached a woman sitting inside her vehicle near a laundromat, opened her driver’s door, and attempted to carjack her, MPD Police Chief Pamela Smith says.

At that point, a second officer fired their weapon, hitting the suspect. Officers began administering first aid until D.C. Fire and EMS arrived but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

No officers or bystanders were injured, according to police. The two officers who fired their weapons were placed on administrative leave, per MPD policy.

The department’s Internal Affairs Division and detectives from the Investigative Services Bureau are investigating the shooting. The case will also be independently reviewed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Smith said.

Authorities still have not released the identity of the suspect or additional details about his possible motive.

No-contact officer-involved shooting

What Happened:

Around 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 18, two officers conducting traffic enforcement along Georgia Avenue saw two people shooting in the 700 block of Quebec Place NW. One officer fired his weapon in their direction before calling for assistance.

The suspects were last seen fleeing through an alley between Quebec Place and Princeton Place, NW. They were described as two Black males wearing dark clothing and ski masks.

"We don’t know what those two individuals were shooting at or who they were shooting at, but the officers did see two people firing weapons," Assistant Police Chief Ramey Kyle said during press conference that evening. "Thankfully, our officers are okay. They are not injured."

MPD’s Internal Affairs Division and district detectives are investigating the incident, along with an independent review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is standard protocol in officer-involved shootings.

What's next:

Police say these investigations are ongoing. More information will be released as it becomes available.