D.C. police officers on Tuesday shot and killed a man they say was charging at them wielding knives.
Around 11 a.m., officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at a home in the 5100 block of Sherier Place NW in the Palisades neighborhood. A man had threatened to damage vehicles at that location, Executive Assistant Chief Andre Wright said during a news conference.
The man left the area before officers arrived, but returned shortly after noon as officers were speaking to witnesses and finishing their report.
Wright said that when the man came back to the scene, he was carrying two knives and behaving irrationally. Officers immediately began yelling at the man to drop the knives and cooperate with them.
“The subject began to run around, very erratic, and never obeyed any of the officers’ commands — this went on for minutes. The officers showed great restraint and great patience, continually, both officers giving loud verbal commands,” Wright said.
During this encounter, one of the officers fired a stun gun at least twice at the man, but it’s not clear if it was effective.
“This shows that the officers were intent on trying to de-escalate and bring the situation under control,” Wright said.
At some point after using the stun gun, the man charged at the officers with the knives in his hands, “leaving the officers no choice but to use their service weapons.”
Both officers shot at the man, striking him at least once. The officers immediately called D.C. Fire and EMS, Wright said, but efforts to save his life failed, and the man was pronounced dead.
Neither of the officers were hurt and both have been placed on administrative leave.
“Any loss of life in our community is tragic and my condolences go to the family and the individual who lost their life today,” Wright said.
Agents from D.C. police’s Internal Affairs Bureau are conducting the investigation, along with detectives from the Investigative Services Bureau.
The shooting will be independently reviewed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C.
Below is a map of the area where the shooting occurred.
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