Prosecutors Pursue Case In Park Police Shooting Of Bijan Ghaisar

FAIRFAX, VA — Outgoing Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Raymond Morrogh is working to get a case against two U.S. Park Police officers for the fatal shooting of Bijan Ghaisar before a grand jury.

The Washington Post first reported the development, which comes after the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced it would not place federal charges against Park Police officers Alejandro Amaya and Lucas Vinyard.

Morrogh's initial attempt to bring the case to a grand jury was unsuccessful, because the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia would need to approve the use of FBI testimony. A U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia spokesperson told The Post the office isn't stopping that testimony, but approval of the request can't be immediate.

Steve Descano, who will replace Morrogh as Commonwealth's Attorney in the new year, could not comment to The Post about the case.

It's been over two years since the Nov. 17, 2017 shooting of Ghaisar following a pursuit on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. After Ghaisar fled from a hit-and-run in which his car was struck in a left-turn lane in Alexandria, Park Police pursued him down the parkway in Fairfax County. Police cruiser video released by Fairfax County Police shows Park Police stopped his car several times during the pursuit. In these encounters, two officers approached Ghaisar's car with weapons drawn before Ghaisar drove away. The last time Ghaisar stopped at Fort Hunt Road and Alexandria Avenue in Fort Hunt, the two officers fired nine shots at him while he tried to drive away.

Ghaisar's family said he was unarmed during this encounter, and reports from Fairfax County Police backed up that statement. Ghaisar died in the hospital 10 days later.

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