Takoma Park Man, Pentagon Cop Charged With Murder In Shooting

TAKOMA PARK, MD — The off-duty Pentagon Police officer who shot and killed two men early Wednesday morning was not acting in the capacity of a law enforcement officer and now faces a lengthy prison sentence after being charged with second-degree murder stemming from an incident at a Takoma Park condominium complex earlier this week, police said Friday.

David H. Dixon, Takoma Park, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, attempted murder, two counts of use of a handgun during the commission of a felony and reckless endangerment, Takoma Park Police and the Montgomery County State's Attorney announced at a news conference Friday afternoon.

Police announced Thursday that Dominique Williams, 32, Hyattsville, and James L. Johnson, 38, District Heights, were killed in the incident which took place just after 5 a.m. on Wednesday. Police said that Dixon, who works as an officer with the Pentagon Force Protection agency, saw what appeared to be men attempting to steal a car from the condominium complex on New Hampshire Avenue.

Dixon was taken into custody without incident on Friday morning and is being held without bond. He will appear in court on Monday when a preliminary hearing will be scheduled, State's Attorney John McCarthy said Friday. A judge will determine if bond will be set for Dixon on Monday. McCarthy said he cannot comment on an active investigation.

Dixon has also been charged with attempted second-degree murder and use of a handgun during the commission of a felony in the assault of the driver of the vehicle. That man has been identified as Michael Thomas, 35, of Washington, D.C.

Police said that Thomas will not be charged in the incident, officials said Friday.

Each second-degree murder charge carries a prison sentence of 40 years while the attempted murder charge carries a sentence of 20 years. The reckless endangerment charge is a five-year misdemeanor, McCarthy said.

After approaching the men Wednesday morning, Dixon attempted to intervene and police said when the men did not obey his directions and started to drive off, Dixon fired at the vehicle. The two men later died from gunshot wounds at a local hospital. Takoma Park Police Chief Antonio Devaul said Friday afternoon that police have confirmed that the three men were breaking into cars on Wednesday morning when Dixon approached them.

Devaul said that Dixon was not in uniform at the time of the incident and was on his way to work when he fired at the gun and struck the two men. The chief said that Dixon does not have any authority as a law enforcement officer in the state of Maryland and was "acting as a civilian" at the time.

Devaul said that Dixon has been placed on administrative leave by the Pentagon Force Protection Agency. Police determined that his overview of the events was not consistent with evidence discovered at the scene and that he "had no lawful or justifiable reason" to shoot and kill the two men, Devaul said.

"The case does not involve (Dixon's) position as a law enforcement officer," Devaul said. "He was a civilian who acted as a civilian who happened to be a law enforcement officer. ...He was acting as a citizen of the state of Maryland."