DOJ and FBI open investigation into fatal shooting of Dalaneo Martin News
Kevin.B, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
DOJ and FBI open investigation into fatal shooting of Dalaneo Martin

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Thursday opened a civil investigation into the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Dalaneo Martin by a US Park Police officer on March 18 in Washington, DC. The announcement comes two days after the US Park Police released police bodycam footage of the shooting.

The investigation is set to probe into the shooting, which occurred when Washington Metropolitan Police and US Park Police were called to a neighborhood in northeast Washington, D.C. on the morning of March 18. Once there, officers found Martin in the driver’s seat of a suspected stolen car with the ignition on.

Out of respect for Martin’s family, JURIST will not link directly to the footage. The author of this article independently reviewed the videos. The video released Tuesday begins with officers finding Martin asleep in the driver’s seat of the running vehicle. After determining the vehicle was stolen, officers attempt to wake Martin and compel him to get out of the vehicle.

“Here’s the plan,” one of the officers is heard saying in the video. “He’s knocked out. The back window is just plastic. I’m going to try to cut that out quietly. If he gets startled, doesn’t wake up, then we’re going to try to get in there, grab him before he puts that car in gear.” In response, another officer said, “If he takes off, he takes off. Just don’t get caught inside of that car.”

Officers are then seen entering the vehicle through the backseat doors of the car and the driver’s side door, startling Martin, who puts the car into gear and drives away with a US Park Police officer in the backseat. The officer in the video is heard yelling “Stop. Stop or I’ll shoot!” before firing his gun at Martin. The car then crashes into a house, and officers pull Martin out to attempt resuscitation.

In a statement, the DOJ US Attorney’s Office said, “The loss of a life is always tragic but is especially heartbreaking when it involves a child.” The investigation is an open matter, so no additional comment or release regarding it is currently provided.

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