Updated: Body-Cam Video Released In DC Fatal Shooting Case

Updated (Sept. 3, 1 p.m.) WASHINGTON, DC— Metropolitan Police Department released body-cam footage Thursday in connection with Wednesday's fatal shooting of 18-year-old Deon Kay. The video was released pursuit to the D.C. City Council's Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2020.

The video, which can be viewed at the bottom of this story, shows uniformed MPD officers chasing Kay and a second individual on foot. After one of the officers sees that Kay is brandishing a firearm, he fires his service weapon once, hitting Kay in the chest.

After Kay falls to the ground, the officer is shown canvassing the surrounding area, looking for the firearm, which police say Kay had thrown across a courtyard and playground. Eventually, the video appears to show the officer locating a firearm in the grass.

"Officers did recover a firearm that we believe that Mr. Kay was in possession of at the time of the incident," said Chief Peter Newsham, during a Thursday afternoon press briefing. "The handgun was recovered by the Department of Forensic Science and taken as evidence."

When asked how far the handgun was from Kay, Newsham replied 98 feet. He agreed that it seemed like a long way to throw a weapon.

A detailed image of the incident included in the video appears to show Kay holding a firearm, but it's unclear whether he is raising the weapon to fire at the officer or to throw it.

"The video has been put out so that everyone can go and look at the video for themselves," Newsham said. "You can stop it frame by frame and make your own determination. We will do the same when we conduct our investigation."

In reviewing the facts of the case, Newsham said the officers had responded to the 200 block of Orange Street, S.E., for the report of a man with a gun. The officers had seen a live-streamed video on social media in which they recognized the man with the gun from previous contacts.

Once officers arrived on the scene, they found multiple people in a car, two of whom exited and began fleeing on foot once they saw police. The officers pursed them.

"One of those men brandished a firearm from his waistband as he was fleeing," Newsham said. "In response, an MPD officer discharged his service weapon, firing a single shot at the individual. The individual sustained a single gunshot wound to his chest. Officers initiated first aid to the man. Members of D.C. Fire and EMS transported him to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead."

According to Newsham, the officers recovered a firearm that MPD believes Kay was in possession of at the time of the incident.

The officer-involved shooting case is currently under review by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and MPD's Use of Force Review Board.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said her administration would be conducting a thorough investigation of the incident. She added that Kay's mother and families was offered counseling support. Also, the family was offered the opportunity to view the body-cam video before it was release.

Previous reporting:

WASHINGTON, DC — A Southeast man was killed Wednesday afternoon after being shot by a Metropolitan Police Department officer, according to a police release. MPD identified the deceased man as 18-year-old Deon Kay. The officers involved in the shooting are the subject of an internal affairs investigation.

Around 3:51 p.m., uniformed patrol officers in the Seventh District responded to the 200 block of Orange Street, S.E., to investigate the report of a man with a gun. The officers encountered individuals in and around a vehicle. Seeing the officer, two individuals fled the scene on foot.

As the officers pursued them, one of the fleeing individuals brandished a firearm, police say. One of the officers discharged their firearm once, striking Kay. The other individual escaped capture and was not apprehended. Police recovered a firearm that they say was Kay's.

D.C. Fire and EMS transported Kay to a nearby hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries. All efforts failed, and Kay was pronounced dead.

MPD arrested Marcyelle Smith, 19, of Southeast, charged him with carrying a pistol without a license. They recovered a firearm from the scene that they say was Smith's.

Police also arrested Deonte Brown, 18, of Southeast, charging him with having no permit.

The Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating the officers involved in the shooting. The officers have been placed on administrative leave, pursuant to MPD policy. Responding officers had activated their body-worn cameras and the footage is being reviewed.

MPD Chief Peter Newsham held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to answer questions about the shooting on Orange Street, Southeast. When asked if the suspects in the case were armed, he replied that two firearms had been recovered from the scene.

When asked specifically whether Kay was armed, Newsham said that would be determined later.

"We believe the subject had a gun at the time," he said.

On Wednesday evening, a group called Sunrise Movement DC protested outside Mayor Muriel Bowser's home, according to a WJLA report. They demanded that Bowser fire Newsham and release the body-camera footage.

Warning: This video contains graphic content of a fatal shooting.