Incidents

"On Monday, September 16, at approximately 10:17 a.m., an officer responded to a residence in the 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston for a welfare check. FCPD received a request from a mental health professional to conduct a welfare check on 33-year-old Sydney Wilson, of Reston, who was reported to be in an agitated state."

Body cam footage shows Wilson slashing at officer Peter Liu with a kitchen knife. He attempted to de-escalate, then shot Wilson 3 times, killing her.

Off-duty officer arrested after DUI crash

On May 11, 2023, at 4:06 p.m., 38-year-old Brandon Lemagne passed a license plate reader which alerted officers to a stolen U-Haul in the area. An officer saw the U-Haul in the 6300 block of Richmond Highway, in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County. Lemagne pulled the U-Haul into the gas station parking lot, exited the vehicle then walked away. The officer can be seen on surveillance footage speaking with Lemagne then the two walk towards the officer’s cruiser. The officer told Lemagne he was going to be detained for driving the stolen U-Haul. Lemagne then fought the officer. He grabbed the officer’s firearm and tried to remove it from the holster. Two other officers arrived on scene. One officer discharged his firearm as Lemagne remained on top of the officer inside the cruiser. A second officer arrived on scene and attempted to remove Lemagne off the officer. He was able to pull Lemagne off the officer and out of the cruiser. The officer then discharged his firearm. Lemagne was struck in the upper body. He was declared deceased at the scene.

"On February 22, 2023, a 37-year-old unarmed Black man, Timothy McCree Johnson, was shot and killed by two Fairfax County police officers (Shifflett and Sadler). In FCPD public statements, officers justified killing Timothy Johnson by alleging that Johnson had stolen sunglasses from a Tysons Corner department store. Mr. Johnson was chased through a parking garage, a parking lot, and into a wooded area where he was killed by a bullet wound to the chest."

Both officers shot Johnson, hitting him in the chest. He died. Johnson was a 37-year-old Black man. The public was allowed to view body camera footage of Johnson's killing.

Off-duty officer Nathan Jerome Jones was arrested for a DUI and placed on administrative leave.

Temiki Murray, age 44, was killed by Fairfax County Police while in their "custody."

"The Complaint centered on a call for service related to an interaction between a Black female Amazon delivery driver and a White male resident of an apartment building.

The Complainants, both the delivery driver and her mother, alleged that officers of the Fairfax County Police Department (“FCPD”) did not respond properly to a 9-1-1 call that the mother made after receiving a phone call from her frightened daughter about a man and a gun. The daughter alleged in that phone call and to responding officers that the male resident walked behind her carrying a gun at his side minutes after a short, terse conversation regarding a parking spot. The responding FCPD officers neither arrested nor charged the resident with a crime following interviews of the driver and resident, respectively.

The Complainants’ primary contention was that responding officers, both White males, demonstrated racial bias in how they handled the matter because the outcome would have been different if the races of the individuals involved were reversed. The Internal Affairs Bureau (“IAB”) of the FCPD investigated the Complaint and ultimately agreed that a supervisor of the responding officers had mistakenly provided inaccurate and incomplete information to the mother of the delivery driver the day after the incident, in violation of FCPD policies, and the IAB took corrective action with respect to the supervisor. The IAB, however, did not find the responding officers (or the supervisor) to have engaged in bias-based policing constituting serious misconduct."

-"Report of Panel Findings for Complaint No. CRP-22-06" by Fairfax County Police Civilian Review Panel)

Stephen Copp was off-duty driving a County vehicle when he was arrested in Stafford County for a DUI. The County vehicle was reportedly found to have front-end damage.

He was placed on administrative leave and subject to an Internal Affairs investigation.

Jeffrey Payne, 41, of Falls Church was shot by undercover officer Sergeant Joshua Moser during a traffic stop. FCPD claimed no body camera footage was captured. Payne was unarmed. He was taken to the hospital and survived.

Fairfax County police officers were captured in a viral video pointing guns at unarmed teenagers outside an IHOP near Falls Church, Fairfax County.

Trooper Edward George shot and killed 26-year-old Aaron Lynch (or Jasper Aaron Lynch), a trans man, who was experiencing a mental health crisis in his own home. The shooting and its particularities (see links below) was widely considered a deep injustice and egregious act by law enforcement.

"'The officers attempted to de-escalate the situation with verbal commands inside the foyer of the home,” the FCPD said. “Lynch [allegedly] threw the mask at an officer and [allegedly] began to swing the bottle in a striking motion. Two officers attempted to utilize their Electronic Control Weapons. Lynch ran toward officers while swinging the bottle. One officer discharged his firearm, striking Lynch four times.'" (FFX Now, 07/2022)

Two FCPD officers shot and killed 37-year-old Christian Parker at Springfield Town Mall.

"On February 15, 2022, Fairfax County Police Department (hereinafter “FCPD”) Police Officer First Class #1 (hereinafter “PFC#1”) and Officer #1 (hereinafter OFC#1) responded to a call to the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications (hereinafter “DPSC”) reporting a “suspicious vehicle/person” on Fitt Court in Lorton, Virginia.

PFC#1 arrived at 8:12 a.m. and OFC#1 arrived at 8:15 a.m. Both officers were accompanied by FCPD recruits getting ready to begin their initial training to become officers at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Training Academy. The officers located the vehicle—a passenger van—and noticed that it had very dark tinted windows and curtains inside the vehicle which separated the driver and passenger compartments. They knocked loudly on the van and announced themselves as FCPD officers. They received no response.

PFC#1 and OFC#1 determined that the license plates affixed to the van had been reported stolen. Based on this information, and suspecting that the van itself was also stolen, they requested a tow truck to respond to the location. While waiting for the tow truck to arrive, the officers opened the unlocked rear hatch and PFC#1 announced “Police” five more times. He also advised anyone inside to make themselves known, but still got no response from anyone inside the vehicle. The officers did find a Virginia license plate inside of the van. The Virginia license plate matched the vehicle identification number of the van. They then contacted the registered owner of the van to determine who may have been driving it. While PFC#1 spoke to the registered owner of the van, the tow truck driver arrived and opened the driver’s door.

OFC#1 pushed a button inside the van to open the rear sliding doors; and, as the driver’s side rear sliding door opened, she saw a man holding what she believed to be a carbine-type rifle.

The individual (later identified as bearing the initials—and hereinafter identified as— “MV”) appeared to be trying to get out of the van while holding the weapon. OFC#1 immediately yelled to PFC#1, “he’s got a gun,” and got herself and the tow truck driver away from the van and in front of the tow truck to use for cover. Upon hearing the warning from OFC#1, PFC#1 got out of his patrol cruiser—inside of which he had been talking on the phone to the van’s owner—and provided multiple commands to MV while PFC#1 retreated to the rear of his cruiser. The commands included, “Hey, do not move!” and “don’t move!” MV did not comply. Rather, he began to raise the rifle in an apparent attempt to fire it at OFC#1, the tow truck driver, PFC#1, or the two recruits who were on the scene.

PFC#1 fired three shots from his handgun at MV. After being struck, MV dropped the rifle and fell to the ground. PFC#1 and OFC#1 began to render aid to MV as soon as they got him from within reaching distance of his rifle. MV survived the gunshots and was transported to a hospital for treatment. He was released from the hospital two days later and transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center."

----(IPA-22-02: Public Report by the Fairfax County Independent Police Auditor)

Robert Jablonski, age 50, was shot by Fairfax County Police. He survived.

Officer Kyle Albert shot 30-year-old Jiyoung Lee.

On March 8, 2021, Lamonta Gladney field a civil rights lawsuit against Tyler Timberlake and Kyle M. Schaefer.

As Gladney's lawyer alleged, he "suffered serious physical injury caused by Timberlake’s unlawful taser attack. Additionally, Gladney suffered and continues to suffer mental anguish, humiliation, and psychological pain...

The Defendant’s misconduct, done under the color of state law, as described below, was recklessly and deliberately indifferent to the life, safety, bodily integrity, well-being, liberty, and civil rights of Lamonta Gladney.”

Gladney presented three claims for relief. The first claim alleged deprivation of civil rights and violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments; the second with police brutality and excessive force; and the third with false arrest.

The case concluded in June 2022. Officer Timberlake and Fairfax County admitted no wrongdoing, but they agreed to pay Gladney a $150,000 settlement.

Police Narrative (Not Verified):

“On January 18, 2021, a Loss Prevention employee of JC Penney, Springfield Towne Center location, saw two individuals (hereinafter “ND” and “MM”) shoplifting merchandise from the store. A call for service went to the Fairfax County Police Department (hereinafter “FCPD”). Master Police Officer #1 (hereinafter “MPO#1”) and Police Officer First Class #1 (hereinafter “PFC#1”) responded to the call and located ND and MM as they approached a car in the parking lot outside of JC Penney.

MPO#1 and PFC#1 were not in FCPD police uniforms because they were working in plainclothes at the mall location; consequently, neither was wearing a body-worn camera (hereinafter “BWC”). They identified themselves and took ND and MM into custody and escorted them back into JC Penney to investigate the shoplifting. As MPO#1 walked with ND down a hall toward the Loss Prevention Office, he verbally explained to ND that he needed to remove the keychain dangling from ND’s pants near her waist because of the small canister of pepper spray that was on the keychain. When he reached for the keychain/pepper spray, ND (who was not handcuffed) immediately grabbed MPO#1’s arm and began to fight him. He reacted by trying to grab her arms and they both fell to the ground. At this point, MPO#1 felt a sharp pain in his left hand and realized ND was biting him. He grabbed her hair weave and pushed her head toward the floor, causing her to stop biting his hand. She continued fighting by trying to strike, kick, and again bite MPO#1. PFC#1 joined the struggle and utilized a knee strike to ND’s hip to help get control of her. MPO#1 and PFC#1 got control of ND’s arms. With the help of a third FCPD officer (hereinafter “PFC#2”), who was in uniform and equipped with a BWC, 2 they were able to secure ND in handcuffs. Even after being handcuffed, ND tried to kick the arresting officers.

An FCPD Sergeant (hereinafter “SGT#1”) responded to the location due to ND complaining about the force used on her. She had no visible injuries and she declined medical treatment for herself. Regardless, ND was transported to the hospital so that blood could be drawn because of her biting MPO#1 and breaking the skin of his hand when she did. During an 1 MPO#1 recalled advising ND, and the JC Penney Loss Prevention employee confirmed that ND was advised. 2 The day of this incident was the first day that PFC#2 was equipped with a body-worn camera, and he forgot to activate it until the struggle had been resolved and after ND was handcuffed. He did record the remainder of the incident.

This occurred before PFC#2 activated his body-worn camera, but was detailed by both PFC#1 and the JC Penney Loss Prevention employee during interviews of them. 2 interview conducted on January 26, 2021, ND claimed she sustained injuries during the incident eight days earlier. She stated that she went to Alexandria Hospital on January 20, 2021, and that they recommended a CT scan, and to consult an orthopedic for her knee pain.”

"On December 17, 2020, at approximately 10:49 a.m., an individual (who was a juvenile) called 9-1-1 and reported to the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications (hereinafter “DPSC”) that he had been shot in the face by his roommate (hereinafter identified by his initials “GM”) in an apartment on Peach Orchard Drive in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County. The caller reported that he was currently inside of a locked bedroom, but that GM was still in the apartment and that he could not safely get out of the apartment.

At 10:54 a.m., patrol officers from the Fairfax County Police Department’s (hereinafter “FCPD”) McLean District police station arrived at the location of the shooting. They were quickly joined there by other FCPD officers, a Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office deputy, and several members of the FCPD’s Special Operations Division’s (hereinafter “SOD”) Special Weapons and Tactics (hereinafter “SWAT”) team. Two of the responding SWAT team members were Police Officer First Class #1 (hereinafter “PFC#1) and Master Police Officer #1 (hereinafter “MPO#1).

At 10:57 a.m., GM called DPSC and stated that he “shot the male twice;” and, at 11:07 a.m., he stated that he would not be alive much longer and that police “will have guns blazing” because he had killed someone. At 11:10 a.m., the juvenile shooting victim advised DPSC that GM was now banging on his bedroom door.

The DPSC call-taker on the phone with GM asked him to put down his gun and surrender to the police, but he refused. At that point, the FCPD Duty Officer—who had been apprised of all the aforementioned information and statements—made the decision to have a team enter the apartment to rescue the shooting victim (and now hostage).

At 11:12 a.m., the assembled team entered the apartment, and one minute later a report of “shots fired” was sent over police radios. Because the door to the apartment was locked, the officers forced their way in with breaching equipment. PFC#1 and MPO#1 were the third and fifth officers to enter. They approached a bedroom with a closed door, believing the juvenile shooting victim was inside. Before getting to the closed door, PFC#1 saw GM sitting on a bed in another bedroom with the door open.

GM held two pistols pointed in the direction of PFC#1. PFC#1 fired one shot from his weapon, which struck GM in the stomach. GM returned fire, striking PFC#1 in his arm. GM continued firing2 and PFC#1 fired several more rounds, while MPO#1 fired several rounds as well.3 When the gunfire stopped, Master Police Officer #2 (hereinafter “MPO#2), who had entered the apartment equipped with a bullet-resistant shield, came to assist MPO#1 in freeing the juvenile victim/hostage from his bedroom. Using the ballistic shield as a barrier between them and GM, MPO#1 and MPO#2 safely got the juvenile out of the apartment. They also assisted PFC#1 out of the apartment so that he could receive medical treatment for his gunshot wound."

----(IPA-20-10: Public Report by the Fairfax County Independent Police Auditor)

Police Narrative (Not Verified):

"On November 23, 2020, at approximately 7:55 p.m., Fairfax County Police Department (hereinafter “FCPD”) officers from the Reston District police station responded to a suspicious person call. The caller reported that a person was lying outside of an apartment complex on Stone Wheel Drive in Reston. Because the caller stated that the person was possibly unconscious, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (hereinafter “FCFRD”) personnel were also dispatched to the location. FCFRD personnel arrived first and were engaged in conversation with the individual—later identified as having the initials D.M. (hereinafter “DM”) when Police Officer First Class #1 (hereinafter “PFC#1”) and Police Officer First Class #2 (hereinafter “PFC#2”) arrived.

Initially, the FCPD officers merely stood by while the medical professionals from FCFRD tried to determine DM’s identity and the reason for his being passed out outside of the building. The officers continued to demand information from DM [who did not respond because he was unconscious]....

…..PFC#1 continued trying to get information from DM, but he continued to be unresponsive. 2 PFC#1 requested additional officers respond to the location. In addition to three other officers, a sergeant (hereinafter SGT#1”) from the Reston District station soon arrived. A captain from the FCFRD approached the scene and requested to speak with DM. DM did, for the first time, respond to some of her questions. He soon accused the captain of harassing him and of having backed him into the corner of the apartment complex where he was now standing. The FCFRD captain walked away from him.

When the FCPD officers resumed engaging with DM, he yelled loudly, “Why are the police bothering me? What have I done? I’m walking!” At approximately 8:25 p.m., PFC#1 consulted with SGT#1 to explain what had transpired since he arrived at 7:55 p.m.

PFC#1 suggested arresting DM for Public Intoxication1 so that he could be transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (hereinafter “ADC”) for his safety and wellbeing. SGT#1 concurred and authorized PFC#1 to arrest DM…. When PFC#1 reached for DM’s right arm, DM grabbedg the apartment’s door handle with his left hand and squeezing it tightly.2 At this point, Police Officer First Class #3 (hereinafter “PFC#3”) approached to assist with the arrest….

At this point, PFC#3 grabbed hold of DM’s shirt to pull him away from the door. DM dropped his weight and went to the ground. DM grabbed one of PFC#3’s legs and reached for and grabbed his holstered electronic control weapon (hereinafter “ECW,” commonly referred to as a Taser). Upon seeing this, PFC#1 used a hand strike to get DM’s hands away from the ECW. PFC#1 then got a handcuff on DM’s right wrist before the officers tried to lift him off the ground. He again dropped his weight and went to the ground. Once back on the ground, DM began saying, “hold up, hold up, hold the fuck up, no, no, no, timeout.” After getting DM into a more stable seated position, with additional help from Master Police Officer #1 (hereinafter “MPO#1”), the officers were able to pull him away from the confined space of the doorway and get him onto his right side. DM reached for a railing in the entranceway he was now in, and squirming with his arms to prevent from being handcuffed. With limited assistance from a second Master Police Officer (hereinafter “MPO#2”), the officer handcuffed DM’s left wrist. The set of handcuffs secured on DM’s right wrist was then cuffed to the set on his left wrist….

The officers lifted him onto a stretcher which allowed the FCFRD to secure him using straps. The FCFRD placed him in an ambulance and advised the FCPD officers that they would sedate him with ketamine. PFC#1 and PFC#2 rode in the ambulance during the transport of DM to Reston Hospital. The decision to transport DM to Reston Hospital for evaluation was made by FCPD and FCFRD personnel on the scene of his arrest.

During the transport in the ambulance, DM indicated that the earlier actions of the arresting officers had aggravated pre-existing medical conditions he had with his left ankle and both shoulders (rotator cuff issues)... DM lodged a complaint with the Office of the Independent Police Auditor and the Police Civilian Review Panel (hereinafter “PCRP”) on July 7, 2021. He alleged that he was unlawfully arrested and assaulted by FCPD officers."