Officer, Victim Identified In Fatal Shooting Of Man In Custody

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD -- Prince George's County Police have identified the victim and police officer involved in a fatal shooting that took place Monday night in Temple Hills, according to a police release. Corp. Michael Owen Jr., a 10-year veteran who was assigned to the Bureau of Patrol, was charged in the fatal shooting of William Howard Green, 43, of Southeast, Washington, D.C.

Officers were dispatched on Jan. 27, around 7:20 p.m., to the report of a traffic accident in the St. Barnabas and Winston Street area. Witnesses on the scene told Owen and another officer that Green had hit their vehicle. Believing that Owen was under the influence of a substance, the officers removed Green from his vehicle, handcuffed his hands behind his back and placed him in the front passenger seat of Owen's cruiser. They then waited for the arrival of a drug recognition expert to assess Green.

While they were waiting, Owen sat in the driver's seat of his cruiser, so that he was sitting next to Green. A short time later, Green was shot seven times with Owen's duty weapon. What occurred in that short span of time is at the center of PGCPD's ongoing investigation of the incident.

After the shooting, Owen and the other officer used department-issued trauma kits to provide medical aid for Green. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment but died a short time later.

Prince George's County Police charged Owen with second degree murder, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, first degree assault and use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. He was taken into custody on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

In response to questions from the media about why Green was placed in the front seat of Owen's cruiser, PGCPD confirmed that officers may transport a single arrestee in the right front seat. In the case of a cruiser with a transport partition, the arrestee would ride in the right rear seat. The cruiser that Green was placed in did not have a partition.

This case remains under investigation. Police ask anyone with information about this case to call detectives at 301-856-2660. Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app

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