A 23-year-old man from Southeast Washington, D.C., is facing several charges after assaulting an officer. Shortly after 3 p.m. July 6, an officer patrolling the 8200 block of Russell Road came across a man who smelled distinctly of marijuana.
The officer asked the man to stop, but he walked away. According to police, when the officer tried to detain him, the man began physically resisting and pushed the officer away. The assaultive actions were captured on a security camera. Surveillance footage shows the officer attempting to get the man’s hands behind his back, but the man continued to resist, despite commands to stop. The officer is seen telling the man to put his hands behind his back while the officer maintained control of the suspect’s wrist to prevent him from further assaulting the officer. During the struggle, our officer, who was alone and saw several people close in on him, called a “Signal 1,” over the radio which is a call for immediate assistance.
This code is utilized on the occasion when an officer is in trouble or is in fear for his or her safety. An officer nearby arrived on the scene to help. The two officers eventually gained control of the man and took him into custody to conduct a lawful arrest under the code of Virginia. No injuries were reported.
The man was charged with assault on a law enforcement officer and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. An outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court from Prince William County was also served. He is being held without bond.
As with all use of force incidents, an internal investigation is underway.
To view the security camera footage, click on: https://youtu.be/LOF_iby5J_A.