Granted, the investigation is still ongoing, but last night two off-duty police officers shot and killed a 14-year-old, and the account that has since emerged about how it happened doesn’t make a lot of sense so far. This is shaping up into a story that isn’t likely to go away quickly for the MPD, so let’s take a look at what Chief Lanier said this morning. This info is from reports from both WTOP and the Washington Post based on Lanier’s press conference.

Last night, an unnamed off-duty D.C. police officer was notified that his home had been broken into and that various items, including a mini-bike, were stolen. The officer then got into his personal car with another off-duty officer, both of whom were in plain clothes, to drive around the neighborhood and see if they could spot the stolen bike anywhere.

After driving around for a short while, the two officers spotted a youth with the bike in question, and stopped to question him. They did not identify themselves as police officers, according to Lanier, because before they had time the teenager drew a gun and began firing at them while they were still in the car. The teen fired about three rounds into the car, and the officer whose bike it was then returned fire, about eight rounds, hitting the teenager in the head. He died later at a hospital.