Aiexpress – On Wednesday morning, tragedy struck during a crisis intervention call in Washington, DC, resulting in the death of a man in an officer-involved shooting.
According to Chief Pamela Smith, the Metropolitan Police Department responded to a man in crisis at around 6:45 a.m. on Jan. 24 in the 2100 block of Benning Road NE.
The responding officers, including a highly-trained crisis intervention specialist, engaged in a conversation with the man for over two hours. Eventually, he agreed to be taken into custody by paramedics for treatment and evaluation.
The journey had just begun, but it was far from over.
During the incident, an additional officer was reportedly assaulted, according to officials. In an effort to subdue the assailant, one officer deployed pepper spray, but unfortunately, it had no effect. The suspect managed to escape the scene by swiftly navigating through traffic and seeking refuge under a truck on North Capitol Street.
He had not finished yet.
No details have been disclosed about the man who lost his life in the officer-involved incident. Internal Affairs detectives in DC are currently investigating the matter, and the US Attorney’s Office will also be conducting a thorough investigation.
The officer involved, who ironically happened to be the specially trained crisis negotiator, has been placed on administrative leave in accordance with department policy.
“Our hearts go out to the family during this heartbreaking situation,” expressed Chief John Donnelly of DC Fire and EMS as he extended his deepest condolences.”
The shooting incident resulted in the closure of several lanes, causing traffic congestion in DC as authorities conducted their investigation.
