A D.C. police officer early Wednesday fatally shot a man who authorities said had a gun while sitting inside a vehicle on New York Avenue in Northeast Washington, according to a department official.
D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said the incident occurred shortly before 3 a.m. at New York and Florida avenues, along a key commuter route. Police shut down New York Avenue between North Capitol Street and Fourth Street NE into the morning rush hour.
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Contee said officers responded to a call for a man with gun inside a black BMW stopped at an intersection in an inbound lane of New York Avenue. He said the officer reported that the man had apparently passed out or fallen asleep behind the steering wheel, and it appeared he had a gun tucked into his waistband.
Police officer shoots, wounds man in Southeast Washington
Contee said the officer called for assistance and for a ballistic shield. Several officers responded and approached the vehicle after about 20 minutes. He said officers attempted to wake the man without startling him.
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The man woke up during the encounter, and a police officer fired. Contee said police are investigating what precisely prompted the officer to shoot; he said the officer’s body camera was activated but that part of the shooting is obstructed by the protective shield the officer was holding.
After the man was shot, police said the BMW rolled or was driven several blocks to New York Avenue and North Capitol Street, where it struck a tree. Contee said police recovered a firearm.
The man, who has not yet been publicly identified, died at a hospital, police said.
The shooting early Wednesday marked the second time within hours that a D.C. police officer shot somebody in the District.
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About 6 p.m. on Tuesday, police said an officer confronted a man he believed was involved in the possible use of drugs in the 1700 block of Minnesota Avenue SE.
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After sending the man on his way, the officer saw an indication that he might have been carrying a gun and tried to engage him, Contee said Tuesday.
The chief said the man pulled a gun from his clothing and brandished it. The officer’s orders to stop were not heeded, and the officer fired, the chief said.
The man suffered injuries that police said did not appear to be life threatening.
Asked about the two shootings by officers within about nine hours, Contee told reporters, “It’s unfortunate that we have to come face to face with armed gunmen in our community.” He added, “It’s not a situation we want to find ourselves in.”
Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report.