WASHINGTON — Author's Note: The video above is from October 18, 2021.
Police have revealed more details surrounding a deadly shooting that happened when officers attempted to serve a temporary protection order in Southeast Monday.
In a press conference Tuesday, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee identified the man killed as 30-year-old Deandre Johnson.
Contee said Johnson was accused of putting a gun to a woman's head and threatening her on Oct.16, just after 11 p.m. When officers arrived to help the woman, they say they found a pistol in a car associated with Johnson. However, Johnson had already left and officers did not arrest him that night.
Johnson has a history of violence between himself and the woman, according to Contee.
Several days later, three officers arrived at an apartment in the 1300 block of Congress Street in Southeast just after 4:30 p.m.
Contee said the officers were at the apartment to serve Johnson with a temporary protection order that had been filed by the victim from the Oct.16 incident. That woman was also at the apartment when officers arrived, as well as an unknown number of children. Investigators have not said what the relationship between Johnson, the woman and the children was.
When officers arrived, they decided to arrest Johnson due to the Oct. 16 incident on charges of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Gun).
According to Contee, a struggle broke out when one officer tried to put handcuffs on Johnson and he resisted. Contee claims the struggle caused one of the officers' bodyworn cameras to turn off and back on again. He did not say how long the camera was off.
Contee said, based upon initial interviews, Johnson attempted to grab one officer's gun from their holster during the struggle. In a video, which has not been released to the public yet, Contee says you can allegedly hear the officer say "he's got my," while almost simultaneously another officer shoots, hitting Johnson twice in the back.
Johnson died at the apartment. The encounter lasted less than a minute, according to Contee.
"The loss of any life in the District of Columbia is tragic for family and community," Contee said.
The United States Attorney's Office will be in charge of conducting an independent criminal investigation into the events surrounding the shooting. DC Police will then conduct an internal administrative investigation.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.
The Department of Behavioral Health is in communication with Johnson's family, including showing the family the video of the shooting.
Contee said while a magazine was found, no guns were recovered from the apartment.