DC medical examiner releases cause of death in police-involved shooting of motorcyclist

WASHINGTON — The motorcyclist shot by a police officer who had his body camera turned off at the time died from a gunshot wound to the neck and back, according to a report from the D.C. Office of the Medical Examiner.

The medical examiner’s report out Wednesday does not say how many times 31-year-old Terrence Sterling was shot by 27-year-old D.C. police officer Brian Trainer on Sept. 11.

On that morning, Trainer fatally shot Sterling near 3rd and M streets in Northwest after police say he rammed the passenger-side door of a police car while trying to flee a traffic stop. Trainer was the only officer on the scene equipped with a body-worn camera and did not turn it on until after the shooting.

Sterling’s death was ruled a homicide, said DC Office of the Medical Examiner Director of Communications LaShon Beamon. But that does not necessarily mean a crime was committed.

The D.C. Office of the Medical Examiner will not released any additional details about Sterling’s autopsy at this time.

On Tuesday, D.C. officials released the body-camera footage showing the moments after Sterling was shot. Released a day after protesters called for more transparency in the case, the footage shows the officers providing medical assistance to a Sterling, who was black.

Sarah Beth Hensley

Sarah Beth Hensley is the Digital News Director at WTOP. She has worked several different roles since she began with WTOP in 2013 and has contributed to award-winning stories and coverage on the website.

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