TAKOMA PARK, Md. — A Pentagon officer was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury Friday on nine charges stemming from two separate events in Takoma Park, including a triple shooting on April 7 that resulted in two deaths. Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said Pentagon Force Protection Agency officer David Hall Dixon had been indicted on seven counts related to the shooting and two counts in a separate alleged assault.
Dixon was indicted on:
- 2 counts of murder
- 1 count of attempted murder
- 1 count of first-degree assault
- 3 counts of handgun offenses
- 1 count first-degree assault
- 1 count second-degree assault
Dixon was charged in the deaths of 32-year-old Dominique Williams and 38-year-old James Lionel Johnson, as well as the attempted murder of 36-year-old Michael Thomas, who survived the shooting. According to Takoma Park Police, Dixon was off-duty when he fired at Johnson and Wilson after he said he thought he saw them breaking into a car. Police said Thomas was the driver of the car Dixon shot up.
Takoma Park Police Chief Antonio DeVaul said his department's investigation confirmed Dixon's account that the victims were breaking into cars, but said his department has no intention of charging the surviving victim, Thomas, with any crimes.
"We absolutely encourage people not to take action if they observe criminal activity," Chief DeVaul said. "Be a good witness, call us, but do not take action."
According to Takoma Park Police, Dixon was also charged in an alleged confrontation with a homeless woman in May 2020. He's alleged to have threatened the woman with a shotgun and pepper spray used pepper spray after she allegedly tried to assault him in the lobby of the Takoma Overlook Condominium complex.
Takoma Park Police officials said they did not become aware of the incident or how serious it was until news media published a video of the alleged assault. After it became public, police added a charge against Dixon of assault in that case. Takoma Park Police said the use of force, in that case, was investigated by the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, who is now re-reviewing the May 2020 altercation.
A lawyer for the Williams family is demanding prosecutors release surveillance video of the shooting at the Takoma Overlook condos.
"We're happy for the charges, but we need to see the nakedness of the brutality that happened in this case and that's happening right here in the Washington, D.C. area," attorney Malik Shabazz, with Black Lawyers for Justice, said.
Dixon is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center without bond. He faces a combined 180 years in prison for the murder and assault charges.