WASHINGTON — Police continue to investigate a shooting involving officers in Southeast, D.C. Sunday morning. According to police, a driver involved in a crash tried to grab a responding officer's gun.
Officers with D.C. Police were dispatched to the 2500 block of Marion Barry Avenue Southeast, for a report of a vehicle crash at around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday.
When officers arrived, police determined that a car crashed into the side of a building.
Preliminary police findings indicate there was a driver inside the vehicle was "unresponsive."
Officers stated they observed a "gun on the driver's lap" and, subsequently, called for additional personnel to respond to the scene.
MPD declared the suspect moved inside the vehicle, and it was then, police gave him verbal commands "to drop the weapon."
During a press conference, authorities clarified the suspect attempted to grab an officer's service weapon, and that action forced two officers to discharge their weapons, hitting the suspect.
The man was later pronounced dead. The identity of the man has not been released at this time. The victim has since been identified as 26-year-old Justin Robinson.
"This is yet another reminder of the daily dangers that our officers face protecting the residents and the visitors across the District of Columbia," said MPD Chief Pamela Smith.
According to Chief Smith, the officers involved were not injured.
Police have recovered the Robinson's weapon.
Agents from MPD's Internal Affairs Division in cooperation with the Criminal Investigation Division are conducting an investigation.
It is worth mentioning that this case will also be independently analyzed and reviewed by the United States Attorney's Office.
As of now, MPD stipulated the two officers involved in the shooting "activated their body-worn cameras, and that footage is also being reviewed."
Both officers who fired their weapons are on administrative leave pending the outcome of the internal investigation.