Allegations of Cover-Up in D.C. Fatal Shooting Incident

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Lawyers for a man who claims he was shot at by a federal agent during a traffic stop on October 17 allege that D.C. police tried to cover up the incident. Phillip Brown, 33, was driving a Dodge SUV when police pulled him over for missing a front license plate and having dark-tinted windows.

According to charging documents, police pursued Brown’s SUV, which switched lanes multiple times as officers activated their emergency lights. When officers caught up to him at the 4200 block of Benning Road, Brown reportedly revved his engine and advanced toward officers on foot. This led to a confrontation where Brown struck another vehicle.

None of the shots fired during the encounter hit Brown, but attorneys for the driver assert that two bullets penetrated his passenger seat and a third bullet narrowly missed him, striking his jacket collar. The initial police report did not mention the shooting, raising questions about a possible cover-up.

During a preliminary hearing on a fleeing charge against Brown, his lawyers revealed that an officer admitted to being instructed not to include details of the shooting in the police report due to an ongoing internal investigation. The fleeing charge was eventually dismissed for lack of evidence.

Furthermore, Brown’s attorneys claim that D.C. police are refusing to release body camera footage from the incident. They have filed a motion demanding that all evidence related to the case be preserved, including the jacket that Brown was wearing, which bore a bullet hole.

E. Paige White, one of Brown’s attorneys, stated, “The MPD covered up the shooting, leaving it out of the police report and refusing to provide Body Worn Camera footage to Brown’s attorneys.” White criticized the collaboration of local police with federal agents under the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative, emphasizing the potential dangers involved.

A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that shots were fired, claiming the agent acted in self-defense. They stated that the incident is under review by the Metropolitan Police Department‘s Internal Affairs Bureau.

Brown’s attorneys argue that the lack of transparency in police operations with federal agents poses a broader concern for public safety. With a press conference planned at MPD headquarters, they aim to bring attention to this incident and the implications it could have on the community’s trust in law enforcement.

Legal representatives have also indicated that they are considering a lawsuit against the authorities for the incident, asserting that no one should be subjected to such dangers during a routine traffic stop.