DOJ Blocks Release Of 911 Call In U.S. Park Police Shooting

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington is blocking the release of the 911 call that led to the pursuit and fatal shooting of Bijan Ghaisar in November. The family had requested the 911 audio in search of answers on why two U.S. Park Police officers fatally shot the McLean accountant.

In a letter, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu noted that the investigation is open, and the 911 calls "are a particular concern because they contain identifying information and statements from civilian witnesses who are relevant to this investigation," WTOP reported. The Arlington County Emergency Communications Center took the 911 call for the original hit-and-run Ghaisar was involved in and rejected an FOIA request.

"What we have asked for is public information that federal investigators have had ample time to review and use for their inquiry," said Roy Austin, the Ghaisar family's attorney. "If by now the Justice Department hasn’t sufficiently used a 911 call from well before the shooting that involved individuals who did not witness the shooting, then we have grave concerns about where this probe is headed."

It's been four months since the FBI opened the investigation into the Nov. 17 shooting. Ghaisar, 25, had been pursued by U.S. Park Police after being rear-ended by an Uber driver in Alexandria and fleeing into Fort Hunt. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Fairfax County Police have released in-car footage of the shooting of the shooting, which shows Ghaisar's car being pulled over multiple times, officers approaching with weapons drawn and Ghaisar driving away. The chase ended when the two officers fired nine shots at Ghaisar, who was unarmed, according to his family. Ghaisar died 10 days later, suffering at least three shots to the head and severe brain damage.

The two Park Police officers involved have not been identified and have been on administrative leave since the shooting.

There is no word on when the federal investigation could be complete.

Image via Ghaisar family