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Prince George’s police investigate why officer shot handcuffed suspect Prince George’s police investigate why officer shot handcuffed suspect
(32 minutes later)
Officials in Prince George’s County are investigating why a police officer shot and killed a handcuffed suspect during an apparent struggle inside a police cruiser on Monday night in the Temple Hills area.Officials in Prince George’s County are investigating why a police officer shot and killed a handcuffed suspect during an apparent struggle inside a police cruiser on Monday night in the Temple Hills area.
Police said the shooting happened after 8 p.m. on Winston Street, near the intersection with St. Barnabas Road. Police said they were called to Winston Streetafter 8 p.m., near the intersection with St. Barnabas Road, after receiving a 911 call about a motorist who had struck several vehicles beginning in the Silver Hill area.
Officers had gone to the scene after receiving a 911 call about a motorist who had struck several vehicles, beginning in the Silver Hill area, police said. A man was taken into custody and placed in a cruiser, said Cpl. Kyndle Johnson, a police spokeswoman.
A man was taken into custody and placed in a cruiser, said Cpl. Kyndle Johnson, a police spokeswoman. Police have not yet identified the victim, but Ronald Green said Tuesday that his brother William Green was the man shot and killed. He declined to comment further in a brief phone conversation, saying his attorney told him not to speak. Police have not yet identified the victim, but Ronald Green said Tuesday that his brother William Green was the man shot and killed. He declined to comment further in a brief phone conversation, saying his attorney told him not to speak.
Christina Cotterman, a police spokeswoman, said a news conference on the shooting is tentatively scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Gina Ford, a spokeswoman county executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D), declined to comment ahead of the news conference. Police said Tuesday afternoon that a news conference that had been scheduled at 1:30 p.m. was postponed. A new time has not yet been scheduled. Gina Ford, a spokeswoman county executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D), declined to comment ahead of the news conference.
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said in a statement Tuesday that her office is in the process of obtaining information about the shooting and “will conduct a thorough and independent investigation.” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said Tuesday that her office is in the process of obtaining information about the shooting.
“The public certainly deserves to get the full story,” Braveboy said in an interview. “We will conduct a thorough investigation that is independent from the police investigation … any in-custody death is problematic.”
Database of police shootings from 2019Database of police shootings from 2019
“We will seek truth, and will vigorously pursue justice in a way that is fair and responsible,” Braveboy said. “Once we have received all information and completed our own investigation and analysis, I assure you that my office will be transparent and accountable to the public about our findings and how we will move forward.” Johnson said Monday night police thought the suspect may have been under the influence of PCP, a hallucinogenic that has been associated with violent behavior.
Johnson said police thought the suspect may have been under the influence of PCP and were waiting for a drug recognition officer to reach the scene. PCP is a hallucinogenic that has been associated with violent behavior.
At some point, she said, a struggle broke out inside the cruiser and the suspect was shot.At some point, she said, a struggle broke out inside the cruiser and the suspect was shot.
“Witnesses saw a struggle inside the vehicle,” Johnson said, “and heard multiple bangs.”“Witnesses saw a struggle inside the vehicle,” Johnson said, “and heard multiple bangs.”
The suspect was taken to a hospital, where he died. His identity has not yet been released. The suspect was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Cotterman, who briefed reporters at the scene, said police expect to conduct a long, detailed investigation into what happened inside the cruiser. As of Monday night, she said, they were at the “very beginning.” John Mathis, whose mother was engaged to Green, said the family has not received any information about what prompted the shooting from police.
“We have a lot of questions,” Mathis said.
Mathis, 19, said Green was a Megabus luggage loader, who was slated to be promoted to dispatcher Tuesday. Mathis said Green has two adult children. Green attended the Temple of Praise church in Southeast Washington.
“He was a funny dude, the guy you turned to when you needed a laugh,” Mathis said.
Mathis said Green had gone out to dinner at a restaurant on Monday night and was driving home when the incident unfolded. Mathis said the suggestion by police that Green might be under the influence of PCP during the shooting didn’t square with the man he knew.
“That wasn’t like him,” Mathis said.
Prince George’s County police spokeswoman Christina Cotterman, who briefed reporters at the scene, said police expect to conduct a long, detailed investigation into what happened inside the cruiser. As of Monday night, she said, they were at the “very beginning.”
The officer involved was placed on administrative leave, as is routine in such matters, Cotterman said.The officer involved was placed on administrative leave, as is routine in such matters, Cotterman said.
Cotterman said the officer was in the driver’s seat of the cruiser, and the suspect was in the front passenger seat. That conforms with department policy, she said.Cotterman said the officer was in the driver’s seat of the cruiser, and the suspect was in the front passenger seat. That conforms with department policy, she said.
The incident was not caught on a body camera, Cotterman said. Police are looking to see if there were any other cameras in the area.The incident was not caught on a body camera, Cotterman said. Police are looking to see if there were any other cameras in the area.
State Sen. Obie Patterson (D-Prince George’s), whose district includes Temple Hills, said he was “sort of shocked” to learn the officer was not wearing a body camera when the incident took place.
“It’s a red flag,” said Patterson, who previously served on the county council.
Advocates at Casa de Maryland, the state’s largest immigrant advocacy group, pushed last year for a bill to require police to wear body cameras. But that bill did not advance. In Prince George’s, not all patrol officers are assigned body cameras. Currently one squad of officers per police district have body cameras.
County Council Chair Todd Turner (D-District 4) said in an interview last year that council members are united in wanting police to wear body cameras, but the issue is funding their rollout.
Braveboy said there are about 80 officers who have body cameras in Prince George’s department, which has more than 1,500 officers.
“We believe that the public should have that high level of transparency, but we only have what we have,” Braveboy said.
Police experts said suspects are most commonly put in the backseat of cruisers, but some departments allow suspects to ride in front, especially if the car doesn’t have a cage separating front and back.
“It used to be you’d never put somebody in the front seat of your car,” said Philip Stinson, a professor of criminology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who studies police shootings. But some jurisdictions have decided “you put them in the front of the car because you can keep the closest eye on them.”
The site of the shooting is a two-block residential street of single-family homes.The site of the shooting is a two-block residential street of single-family homes.
Martin Weil, Alice Crites and Dan Morse contributed to this report. Steve Thompson, Erin Cox, Martin Weil, Alice Crites and Dan Morse contributed to this report.
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