Bodycam footage shows DC officers shooting, killing suspect during attempted arrest

D.C. police have released body camera footage from an attempted arrest on Oct. 18 that left a man dead from a gunshot wound after a struggle broke out.

The footage shows officers going inside an apartment in the 1300 block of Congress Street SE in an attempt to serve a temporary protection order.

While serving the order, officers decided that 30-year-old DeAndre Johnson should be placed under arrest. Johnson became aggravated as officers placed cuffs on him, and a struggle broke out. During that struggle, Johnson was shot twice and he died as a result of his injuries.

In a news conference held the following day, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said the officer pulled their service weapon as one of the other officers was saying “he’s got my…” Johnson was shot twice in the back.

One of the officer’s body cameras briefly turns off during the struggle before coming back on.

Days before the attempted arrest, Contee said, Johnson had allegedly threatened a woman and held a gun to her head. Police later seized a weapon from a vehicle associated with Johnson, but could not find and arrest him at the time.

The shooting is under investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. After that, D.C. police said they will conduct their own investigation. Any actions that are deemed unjustified will be met with disciplinary action.

The footage contains scenes of violence, and viewer discretion is advised.

DC Police Community Briefing: DeAndre Johnson shooting

WTOP’s Jack Pointer contributed to this report.

Zeke Hartner

Zeke Hartner is a digital writer/editor who has been with WTOP since 2017. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University’s Political Science program and an avid news junkie.

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