No Charges Against MPD Officer In Police-Involved Fatal Shooting

WASHINGTON, DC — A Metropolitan Police Department officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Deon Kay in September will not be facing federal criminal civil rights charges, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section (PCCR) and MPD’s Internal Affairs Division (IAD) informed Kay's family Thursday of the U.S. Attorney's Office's decision to not pursue charges in connection with the fatal shooting.

"Based on the results of a thorough investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office cannot prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the MPD officer who shot Mr. Kay committed willful violations of the applicable federal criminal civil rights statute," the DOJ press release said.

Both PCCR and IAD examined the evidence in connection with Kay's shooting, including reviewing statements from officers and civilians present at the scene of the shooting. They also considered the voluntary statement from the officer; body worn camera footage; radio transmissions; evidence collected at the scene and results of related forensic tests; and the autopsy and toxicology reports. At the end of the review, PCCR and IAD found no evidence to support a criminal prosecution, according to the release.

Around 3:51 p.m., on Sept. 2, 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.

The officer involved in the shooting was placed on administrative leave pending the IAD investigation. MPD released the officer's body-worn camera footage to the public as part of the investigation.

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Body-Cam Video Released In DC Fatal Shooting Case