MPD have released bodycam video from a fatal OIS that took place on February 18th involving a suspect armed with a knife.
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, Police identified the man who Metropolitan Police Department officers shot and killed in Northwest D.C. after the suspect allegedly crashed his car into a police car and repeatedly threatened officers with a knife.
Surafel Zerihun, 29, of Northwest D.C. was killed on Tuesday after he was shot by MPD officers in two different instances. Chief Pamela Smith said Zerihun continued to swing a knife at MPD officers even after he had already been shot police.
MPD Chief Pamela Smith laid out the events she said led up to Tuesday’s shooting on the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest, starting with when Zerihun allegedly smashed his car into a police car and repeatedly charged at an officer with a knife at around 6:10 p.m.
“The suspect got out of his vehicle, produced a knife and reached into the officer’s cruiser through the window and demanded the officer’s service weapon while swinging the knife at the officer,” Chief Smith said. “The officer then retreated to the passenger seat of the cruiser and gave loud verbal commands for the suspect to get back.”
After the suspect, Zerihun, allegedly continued to swing his knife at the officer, that’s when Chief Smith said, the police officer shot the 29-year-old.
However, according to Chief Smith, the attack on the officer did not end there. When the officer went to the check on the suspect who had just been shot, Zerihun allegedly got up and started swinging his knife at the officer and walking toward them.
The suspect then allegedly made his way into another police car.
At this point, the DC Police officer had another officer as backup. When both officers called for the suspect to get out of the police car, Zerihun allegedly hopped out of the cruiser and instead broke into a woman’s car that had been parked outside a nearby laundromat and tried to carjack it.
“At this time, one of our officers discharged their service weapon at the suspect, striking him,” Chief Smith said. “Officers immediately immediately began providing first aid until DC Fire EMS arrived. Despite all life-saving measures the suspect was pronounced dead on scene.”
The two officers were put on administrative leave, an MPD policy. Both were not wounded, according to Chief Smith. The woman whose car the suspect allegedly tried to carjack was also not hurt during the attack.
“Agents from our Internal Affairs division are on the scene conducting the investigation, in conjunction with detectives with our investigative services bureau. The case will be independently reviewed, as they always are, by the US Attorney’s Office,” Chief Smith said.
Both shootings were along Georgia Avenue Northwest. Roads were closed on the 3300 to 3500 blocks of Georgia Avenue, between Lamont Street and Newton Place, as of 7:15 p.m. The westbound lanes in the 500 to 600 blocks of Park Road, between Warder Street and Georgia Avenue were also closed Tuesday night.
Nearby streets that border the 3500 to 3700 block of Georgia Avenue had been closed while MPD investigated another, apparently unrelated, incident where officers shot at a suspect, when the alleged car ramming and knife attack took place.
The shooting involving Zerihun, became the second time on Tuesday that MPD officers shot at a suspect or suspects along Georgia Avenue.
In the earlier shooting, MPD said their officer shot at two suspected gunmen shortly before 3:30 p.m. but missed. According to MPD, two officers had been conducting a traffic stop when they saw two people shooting guns in the 700 block of Quebec Place and responded by shooting at the two suspects.
The two men ran away after the afternoon shooting and were apparently not hit by the MPD officers’ bullets. The two suspects were last seen in an alley between Quebec and Princeton Place Northwest.
“Officers are OK, uninjured,” MPD spokesman Kyle Ramsey said at around 6 p.m. “Internal Affairs are investigating. There will also be an independent review by the US Attorney’s Office.”
Police describe the two men as wearing all dark clothing and ski masks. Officers said the two had driven off in a Honda Civic.
Chief Smith said that the two shootings were not connected.
Via WUSA9