D.C. Police Investigate Officer-Involved Shooting in Brentwood

By D.C. Witness Staff - May 11, 2018
Featured | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

Evidence from a recent officer-involved shooting shows that there may have been an exchange of gunfire between the officer and decedent, according to the D.C. chief of police.

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a fatal shooting, involving an off-duty police officer, that occurred on the 2300 block of 15th Street, NE on May 9.

According to D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham, there are witness statements and forensic evidence that suggest gunfire was exchanged between the officer and the decedent, D’Quan Young, 24. The chief could not give further explanation of the forensic evidence.

Even though gunfire is believed to have been exchanged, there are no other injuries from residents in the area.

However, Newsham said a car was struck by gunfire. Other vehicles were also towed away from the area.

The shooting took place near the Brentwood Recreation Center. The officer was allegedly attending a friend’s cookout. As of May 11, a decision of fault in the shooting had not been made.

Newsham said the police do not have evidence that tells why the shooting occurred. He said the police did not have any video footage of the shooting. There is body camera footage from on-duty officers who arrived on the scene after the shooting. The MPD is attempting to access privately owned video footage in the block for review, the chief said.

Newsham said the department is looking into whether proper notifications were made to police.

The officer is being represented by William Bland, an attorney with D.C. law firm Robert A Ades & Associates PC. The MPD has not interviewed the officer as of May 11, but, according to Newsham, the officer will make himself available for an interview. A time has not been confirmed.

There are rumors circulating that the officer had a duffle bag, but Newsham said he didn’t believe a duffle bag was recovered from the scene. “That’s the type of thing that happens in an investigation like this, you have multiple witnesses with different perspectives and different views, so to suggest there was a duffle bag up there would be premature,” he said.

Newsham said the firearm that was recovered on the scene is believed to have been the decedent’s weapon.

“We have a family in our community who is grieving,”Newsham said. “We want to make sure that we do everything that we possibly can to get them the answers.”

He cautioned residents to not use uncorroborated versions of events as an explanation of what happened. “We urge people to come forward and share their information,” Newsham said.

View the video from the press conference, here.

View the Washington Post’s story that sheds light on the victim’s family’s perspective of the incident, here.