Prosecutor Finds No Violations By Police In Pimmit Hills Shooting

PIMMIT HILLS, VA — The commonwealth's attorney for Fairfax County found no criminal violations by officers in the Dec. 17 shooting in Pimmit Hills.

Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano released a statement Tuesday on his investigation findings for the Dec. 17 officer-involved shooting in the 2000 block of Peach Orchard Drive. The suspect, Glenn Myer, 61 of Falls Church, previously charged by police with aggravated malicious wounding, was also indicted on two counts each of attempted capital murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

The officer-involved shooting occurred around 10:49 a.m. on Dec. 17. According to police, a juvenile victim called 911 and said he had been shot in the face by a man who lives in the apartment. The victim tried to hide from the armed suspect in a bedroom and told the police dispatcher that the man was actively trying to break into the room.

According to Descano's statement, Myer refused to surrender to police and exchanged gunfire with SWAT team members when they entered to rescue the victim. A SWAT Team member and Myer were struck by bullets.

The officers took the victim from the residence to a safe location and took the man into custody. Officers provided aid to the suspect until fire and rescue personnel stepped in.

Myer was injured and hospitalized after the shooting, as well as the teen victim who originally called 911 for help. An officer had minor injuries and was treated on the scene.

Per police department policy, Police Chief Ed Roessler Jr. called for criminal and administrative investigations into the officer-involved shooting. The officers who discharged their weapons were later identified as Master Police Officer Lance Guckenberger and Police Officer First-Class Matthew Grubb, 20-year and 18-year veterans of the police department, respectively.

Earlier in January, Roessler had released a statement identifying the officers and describing their actions as brave.

"Myer had shot another person in his apartment and was continuing his acts of violence when a team of law enforcement officers bravely entered the apartment and were confronted by Myer who was in possession of a firearm," the statement read. "As Myer continued his acts of violence by discharging his firearm at the responding officers, both Master Police Officer Lance Guckenberger and Police Officer First-Class Matthew Grubb discharged their firearms at Myer to end his imminent threat to the sanctity of all human life present at the event."