Mayor Muriel Bowser released video footage today of an incident in which a D.C. police officer fatally shot a 29-year-old man on Christmas Day.
After viewing the footage last week, Gerald Javon Hall’s family alleged that he was unarmed when he was killed, and they demanded that the Metropolitan Police Department release the video publicly. Police have maintained that Hall was carrying a knife at the time.
The police-body worn camera footage shows officers ordering Hall to release a knife when they encounter him at a residence on the 3200 block of Walnut Street NE. After a few people come out of the house, police shoot him to the ground.
An officer then takes a weapon from Hall’s body and tosses it nearby. Afterward, police administered first aid. Hall was transported to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where he later died of his injuries.
Bowser also released screenshots of the knife that appeared during the quick encounter.
Caption from Mayor Bowser administration: View of knife in Mr. Hall’s right hand at the top center of screen; the female resident is standing in the doorway in front of him. The image is from the first responding MPD officer’s BWC.
Caption from Mayor Bowser administration: View of knife in Mr. Hall’s right hand at the left of screen; door has opened suddenly with Mr. Hall in doorway and the female resident in close proximity to the knife. The image is from the first responding MPD officer’s BWC.
Mayor Bowser said she released the footage because she deemed it to be in the public interest and consistent with the goals of the city’s body-worn camera program.
Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, former chair of the council’s judiciary committee, released a statement saying that “transparency is critical to police-community relations, and I thank the mayor for releasing the body worn camera video. I expect a thorough and swift investigation.”
Councilmember Charles Allen, who took over McDuffie’s role as judiciary chair, said he thanks Mayor Bowser for releasing the footage as he believes it’s “in keeping with the law’s intent to provide transparency and access to this important public record.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is currently conducting an investigation into Hall’s death, according to McDuffie and Allen.
This video contains disturbing footage:
