A man was shot and killed by the Fairfax County, Virginia, police inside a house in McLean on Thursday night.
The police said officers responded to a “man in crisis” call on the 6900 block of Arbor Lane, near Wemberly Way, after 7 p.m.
Police Chief Kevin Davis said officers arrived at the home but could not find the man. A mental health clinician was dispatched, as well, and spoke to the people who made the call before leaving the scene.
Davis said officers were driving in the neighborhood looking for the man, when a second call from the house was received around 8:45 p.m.
“The nature of the second call was far different from the nature of the first call,” Davis said.
Davis said three officers were standing in the foyer of the house, when the man they were seeking, Jasper Aaron Lynch, 26, “presented himself.”
Maj. Eli Cory said the interaction occurred near the front door.
“The man did charge at the officers with something in his hand, and that was perceived by the officers as a threat,” Cory said.
Officers found Lynch holding a bottle and an object believed to be a large decorative wooden tribal mask, a Fairfax County police news release said.
Police said they tried to de-escalate the situation, giving verbal commands.
Lynch “threw the mask at an officer and began to swing the bottle in striking motion,” police said.
As Lynch ran toward officers while swinging the bottle, “Two of our officers deployed their electronic control weapon multiple times,” Cory said. “The third officer deployed his service weapon, striking the man, and he collapsed.”
Officers rendered aid to Lynch, who was struck four times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Any loss of life is tragic, and the Fairfax County Police Department takes no pleasure in telling you that a man lost his life tonight,” Davis said.
Asked about the period of time between the use of less-than-lethal force and the gunshot that killed Lynch, Davis said police body camera video will be released within 30 days, but said “the electronic control weapons, or Tasers, were first.”
No officers were hurt; the officer who fired his gun is a 10-year veteran assigned to the McLean Station. His name will be released in 10 days. The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on restricted duty per procedure.
Davis said the clinician who initially responded was not at the scene of the shooting, and the investigation will determine why the clinician wasn’t present the second time officers arrived at the home. Fairfax County police began sending out co-responders with officers last year to help deal with mental health calls.
Fairfax County police’s Major Crimes Bureau will conduct the criminal investigation into the initial call for service, said Davis, and the department’s Internal Affairs Bureau will ensure the officers involved were acting in compliance with the department’s policies and procedures.
“We’re committed to a thorough, impartial investigation,” Davis said. “We’ll do it in partnership with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and we’ll maintain our transparency posture with the community.
Davis said a follow-up press conference on the investigation is expected to happen within 30 days.
It is the third police shooting in Fairfax County in a week, starting with police killing a man they said refused to put down a gun outside Springfield Town Center on June 30. Then, Herndon police shot and wounded a suspect who attempted to steal a car on Tuesday.
Below is a map of where the shooting occurred.
