A Metropolitan Police Department officer shot a suspect multiple times early Sunday after the man drove his vehicle toward officers in Northeast Washington, according to police.
The shooting occurred about 1:30 a.m. Jan. 18 after officers responded to a report of threats at the Aqua nightclub in the 1800 block of New York Avenue NE. Police said the suspect had argued with security over an entrance fee and threatened to return with a firearm.
While officers were interviewing security personnel, the suspect returned to the scene in a vehicle, ignored repeated commands to exit, and drove in reverse toward officers and nearby pedestrians, MPD said.
An officer positioned alongside the vehicle fired several shots. The suspect fled at a high rate of speed along New York Avenue before crashing his car a short distance away. He was found conscious with multiple gunshot wounds and was taken by DC Fire and EMS to a local hospital. No other injuries were reported.
Sunday’s shooting in Washington bears similarities to a widely reported incident in Minneapolis this month in which a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a 37-year-old woman during a federal enforcement operation that has drawn intense scrutiny and widespread protests.
In that case, federal authorities and local officials have sharply disputed accounts of whether the use of force was justified, and the investigation is being led by the FBI amid criticism from Minnesota officials who say local investigators should have access to evidence. The Minneapolis incident has prompted legal challenges to federal tactics, protests and debate over use-of-force policies for law enforcement officers at all levels.
