A man is facing serious charges after being shot by police outside a D.C. nightclub, during a confrontation that started with a dispute over an entrance fee and escalated into a dangerous vehicular incident. DC News Now reports that the incident began around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 18 when the man attempted to enter the Aqua nightclub and got involved in an argument with the club's security.
According to WTOP, the dispute became heated, and despite leaving after the initial altercation, the man returned, allegedly after having threatened to come back with a gun. The Metropolitan Police Department responded to the nightclub following reports of this threat. Upon their arrival, he drove toward the club entrance in the direction of pursuing officers and security personnel. Police commanded him to exit his vehicle, but he reversed and fled instead, only to come back later, once more accelerating towards the entrance where pedestrians and an MPD officer were nearly struck.
Officials say that when the suspect drove at high speed in reverse toward an MPD officer, another officer, who was positioned at the side of the vehicle, discharged their weapon multiple times. The individual managed to drive away but subsequently crashed his car in the 3400 block of New York Avenue NE, as detailed by NBC Washington. Responding officers found the man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was then transported to a hospital for treatment and was reported to be conscious and breathing.
As a result of the incident, the man was arrested and charged with felony assault on a police officer, with additional charges pending as the investigation progresses. Following standard protocol, the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave while the Internal Affairs Bureau’s Force Investigations Team conducts its investigation into the use-of-force incident. Furthermore, the U.S. attorney’s office will independently review the facts and evidence to ensure a thorough examination of the night's events.
