WASHINGTON — GRAPHIC WARNING: The story below describes a fatal shooting, and the details may be disturbing.
DC Police released four different videos Friday showing the before and after of Saturday's deadly shooting at the Wharf involving two off-duty officers. Police Chief Robert Contee maintains the videos prove his officers' actions saved lives.
A 23-year-old Virginia man, accused of drawing a gun at the Wharf, was shot and killed Saturday evening by Commander Jason Bagshaw, who was off-duty having dinner with his wife, who is also an officer. The man who died was identified as Lazarus Wilson of Dumfries. It is unclear as to who or what Wilson was pointing the gun at.
Since Bagshaw and his wife weren't on duty, there is no bodycam footage of the shooting itself, but police released videos from two responding officers' vantage points to show the aftermath, as well as surveillance video from two sources to show what led up to the shooting.
At a press conference after the shooting Saturday night, Contee told reporters his officers happened to be in the 800 block of Wharf Street, Southwest "enjoying the evening" when they witnessed Wilson allegedly drawing his gun outside a restaurant. In one of the newly released videos, Wilson can be seen with the gun before he ultimately walks off screen.
Contee said Bagshaw yelled for Wilson to drop his gun, and when he did not, Bagshaw shot and killed him.
The two bodyworn camera videos show more of the shooting's aftermath, as well. When the officers initially arrive, they target Bagshaw, who is seen kneeling on the ground with his hands up. Then, Bagshaw's wife can be seen laying on top of another person believed to be involved in the confrontation.
She asked the responding officer to give her handcuffs. Bagshaw's wife can also be heard saying, "he was going to kill you," though it is not clear who she is talking to, as her face is blurred out.
The responding officer gives her cuffs before going to survey the rest of the scene, where he finds Wilson. The officer cuffs Wilson's hands behind his back and begins to attempt life-saving measures with several other officers.
"It's not against the policy when officers use force," Contee said. "You will see in situations where, out of an abundance of caution, they may place the person in handcuffs. You don't know how people are going to respond to gunshot wounds."
In a second surveillance video, which is heavily blurred, customers are seen inside Bistro Du Jour restaurant ducking for cover. Contee said this video shows there was a public safety concern.
“I still believe, based upon what I’ve seen, you have people in the restaurant, clearly there was a threat that they saw," Contee said Friday after his department released the videos. "And when they saw this threat, you had commander Bagshaw and his wife respond to the threat that they saw.”
RELATED: Police: Off-duty DC Police officers shoot, kill man allegedly armed with a gun at the Wharf
Police also found a gun and a bag with $30,000 cash at the scene.
Contee said Bagshaw did not undergo a breathalyzer test to determine his blood alcohol level, partially because he did not show signs of impairment.
“It wouldn't ordinarily be a requirement unless there were signs of impairment or something like that,” he said.
Wilson's family did say Thursday that it believes there are more cameras around the Wharf that can provide a fuller view as to what led up to the shooting.
Bagshaw also has yet to provide an official statement to the department, but Contee said that is not abnormal at this point in an investigation. He said MPD is continuing to gather information that it will forward to the United States Attorney's Office for review. Contee said once that review is finished, Bagshaw would have a number of options.
"If it is decided that there are no criminal charges, then the member would be compelled to give a statement, from an administrative standpoint," he said. "If the U.S. Attorney's Office made a different situation, obviously the person, they have certain rights where they would not have to give a statement in that case."
Bagshaw was placed on paid leave, pending the outcome of an investigation. His wife has not been identified.