WASHINGTON — The family of a man who died after an assault outside a high-end D.C. restaurant is speaking out for the first time since a grand jury decided not to press charges against a former police officer
Vivek Taneja, 41, died after he was punched outside Shoto Restaurant around 2 a.m. on Feb. 2.
Early in the investigation, detectives said Taneja and an unidentified man were arguing before Taneja was punched. He was knocked to the ground and hit his head on the pavement. He died six days later.
Police began searching for the man who punched him and later identified a former Arlington County Police officer as a person of interest in the case. The former officer has not been identified to the public.
Earlier this month, a grand jury decided not to charge the man with Taneja's death.
Days after the decision was announced, Taneja's family shared a statement with WUSA9 through their attorney, Kaveh Noorishad. In the statement, Taneja's younger sister says she is speaking on behalf of herself and her grief-stricken mother, whom she refers to as "the only surviving members of the Taneja family."
"We have been silent waiting for the US Attorney’s office to assist us in obtaining justice in the DC Courts for my brother’s murder," the statement reads. "We put our trust in the prosecutors in this case, and now feel that the justice system has let us down."
The statement describes the pain the Tanja family has gone through since the sudden passing of their father in 2000, forcing their mother to work as a single mom to provide for her children.
"She is our rock. In turn, my brother was her soul," the statement reads. "My mother and I have been left broken and devastated by the loss of Vivek and furthermore by this injustice."
Taneja's sister describes her brother as a hardworking, loving, loyal, social, generous, caring, and brilliant man with a bright future that was cut short on that fateful February night.
"My brother’s life should not have ended this way," she said. "And his death most certainly warrants justice. Justice if only to protect another innocent person from having his or her life taken by the monster that is my brother’s killer."
The statement goes on to say the Taneja family has watched surveillance video footage from that night. His sister explains that Taneja and his friends told the man to go away and leave him alone but the man refused to leave.
"This man, who I understand is a trained boxer and former police officer, did not hold back on his vicious and deadly attack when my brother tried to defend himself and his friends," the statement reads. "After beating my brother’s head to the ground, he then stepped over his bloody and lifeless body and left the scene without helping him."
While the video was painful to watch, Taneja's sister said learning that the man who punched her brother won't face charges. The family claims that the case was not objectively presented to the grand jury that later decided not to press charges.
The family is now asking US Attorney Matthew Graves to assign a new team of prosecutors to this investigation.
"The prosecutors should seek justice for my brother and to all those that loved him," the family's statement reads. "My brother was acting in self-defense and the defense of his female guests when he was attacked ruthlessly and ultimately killed. My brother’s killer should be brought to justice for his actions."
Read the family's full statement below:
I am Vivek Taneja’s younger sister and I am speaking on behalf of myself and my grief-stricken mother, the only surviving members of the Taneja family. We have been silent waiting for the US Attorney’s office to assist us in obtaining justice in the DC Courts for my brother’s murder. We put our trust in the prosecutors in this case, and now feel that the justice system has let us down.
After the sudden death of my father in 2000, our small family grew smaller. My mother was a single mother who worked hard to provide for us. She raised my brother and me to be kind, productive members of society and to help those in need. She is our rock. In turn, my brother was her soul. My mother and I have been left broken and devastated by the loss of Vivek and furthermore by this injustice.
My brother was a hardworking, loving, loyal, social, generous, caring, and brilliant man with a bright future. Since obtaining his Doctorate in Engineering, he was a successful entrepreneur and avid philanthropist who found joy in supporting other local businesses and charities. This joy to celebrate others is what called him out that fateful night. A night that marked the soft opening of a local business ended in my brother’s death. My brother’s life should not have ended this way. And his death most certainly warrants justice. Justice if only to protect another innocent person from having his or her life taken by the monster that is my brother’s killer.
We watched the painful surveillance video footage from that night. My brother and his friends told this man to go away and leave them alone, but the assailant refused to leave and further provoked a deadly encounter. This man, who I understand is a trained boxer and former police officer, did not hold back on his vicious and deadly attack when my brother tried to defend himself and his friends. After beating my brother’s head to the ground, he then stepped over his bloody and lifeless body and left the scene without helping him.
What is most painful, was learning that individuals within the U.S. Attorney’s Office DECLINED to prosecute this mater. It is our understanding that although detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department presented an arrest warrant to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, my brother’s murder case was never objectively presented to a D.C. grand jury with a request that the grand jury determine whether his killer should be charged. This decision to indict should be made by a grand jury and not the individual attorneys in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We don’t understand the motivation behind individual prosecutors simply declining to prosecute, when a man’s life is lost to a brutal attack.
We have asked Matthew Graves, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, to assign a new team of prosecutors to this investigation so we have a chance at a fair trial. The prosecutors should seek justice for my brother and to all those that loved him. My brother was acting in self-defense and the defense of his female guests when he was attacked ruthlessly and ultimately killed. My brother’s killer should be brought to justice for his actions.
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