Maryland Attorney General's Office investigating deadly police shooting in Wheaton

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office is investigating a police shooting in Wheaton, Maryland.

Police were responding to an assault in progress call on the 3400 block of Janet Road Saturday night. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office says officers encountered a man who was holding what police believe to be a knife. Investigators say the man did not comply with commands and was ultimately shot and killed by an officer.

“When the first officer arrived, he encountered an adult male who was armed with
an object,” said Montgomery County Police Spokeswoman Shiera Goff.

According to the Maryland Attorney General’s independent investigation division, which investigates police shootings in the state, officers repeatedly told the suspect to “drop the knife.”

Investigators say the man ignored those commands and then began to cross the street. That’s when an officer opened fire.

Officials did not say how many times the man was shot. According to the Attorney General’s office, police recovered a grill fork near the man’s body, but there’s no mention of police ever recovering a knife.

“The individual was approaching the officer as well as the victims that he had allegedly assaulted earlier before officers arrived,” Goff said.

Investigators have not yet identified the man who was killed, nor the officer who fired at him. Police also haven’t revealed much about the alleged assault committed by the man or how many people may have been involved, but a spokeswoman for the department did say no one was seriously hurt.

The Maryland Attorney General’s independent investigation division says it plans on releasing body camera footage within 20 days of the shooting.

The officer who shot the man has been placed on administrative leave as that investigation continues.