Officer-Involved Shooting 'Justified' Says County Prosecutor

An officer was justified in shooting a suspect threatening police with a crowbar, according to Prince William County’s commonwealth attorney.

Prince William County Police has released charging information for the suspect and more details of the Sept. 23 shooting.

Jonathan Alexander Diaz-Chavez, 22, of no fixed address, is charged with one count of attempted aggravated malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer. He was treated at an area hospital and has since been moved to the Prince William Adult Detention Center.

On Sept. 23, officers had responded to a trespassing call in the 7600 block of Lake Drive. When police located Diaz-Chavez nearby, he allegedly threatened them with a crowbar.

Officers sprayed him in the face with pepper spray before Diaz-Chavez fled across Bull Run Creek as officers pursued him into Fairfax County, according to Sgt. Jonathan Perok, a police spokesperson.

“The man then turned and faced the officers, who were within a few feet,” according to Perok. “The man advanced towards the officers while again raising the crowbar in a threatening manner. One officer fired at the man, striking him in the upper body.”

The officer involved, identified as 17-year police veteran Kevin Curry, provided first aid at the scene, according to Perok.

“I have carefully reviewed the evidence and circumstances leading up to the shooting of Jonathan Diaz-Chavez on Sept. 23 and have ruled the shooting justified,” said Paul Ebert, Prince William County’s commonwealth attorney. “I find the officers were in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily harm when they used potential lethal force in their attempt to apprehend the suspect.”

The department’s administrative investigation is continuing, according to Perok. The final review will be conducted by the Department’s Police Deadly Force Shooting Review Board.