Wednesday marks one month since the officer-involved shooting outside Tysons Corner Center.
Timothy McCree Johnson, 37, was shot and killed by Fairfax County officers on the evening of Feb. 22. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) said it happened after Johnson allegedly stole sunglasses from the Nordstrom store at Tysons Corner Center.
Johnson's family is calling for justice after viewing the police body camera video of their son’s death for the very first time on Wednesday.
Johnson's family and the Fairfax NAACP chapter have called on the police department to release the body camera video, unedited.
“Timothy was unarmed and shoplifting," his mother, Melissa Johnson told 7News earlier this month. "What played out on the news was a judge, jury and an execution-style murder."
FCPD policy also says body camera footage in officer-involved shootings must be released within 30 days. The video, including surveillance, will be released on Thursday at 1 p.m., police said.
On the day of the shooting, FCPD said officers chased Johnson into a wooded area near the mall and, "gave him commands to get on the ground."
While in that wooded area, two officers fired their guns, striking Johnson in the chest once, police said. Officers rendered aid until Fairfax County Fire and Rescue arrived. Johnson was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
The family and their attorney say they were allowed to view about 8 minutes of body camera video from just one officer, Sergeant Wesley Shifflett, and say the video did not prove the shooting was justified. They believe Johnson could’ve been taken into custody alive.
Melissa Johnson, Timothy's mother, spoke to the press after viewing the video.
"What happened was neither Sadler or Shifflett knew anything about Timothy," Johnson said. "They drew their guns, fired, and shot and killed him, and the only thing that they know was he was accused of allegedly taking a pair of sunglasses."
Attorney Carl Crews says the video showed at least one officer did not follow policy, that Sergeant Shifflett did not face imminent danger, and multiple officers could’ve taken Johnson into custody without legal force.
"This was an execution by Fairfax County police officers," Crews said.
The night of Feb. 22, the Fairfax County Police Department said officers gave Johnson "commands to get on the ground," after he ran into a wooded area. However, Chief Kevin Davis says what prompted officers to shoot was still being investigated.
Crews described what was heard on the body camera video.
"Stop running, lay down," Crews said. "But that was it, before the shot, that was it."
Johnson now calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act for more training and a national police misconduct registry.
"We’re still waiting for answers to those questions, it just does not make any sense at all," Johnson said. "And so, for us to try, for me to try to stand here and make it make sense, it’s not going to make sense."
FCPD has announced it will officially release the body camera video to the public Thursday.
Crews also called on Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano, saying Shifflett, "...should not have his freedom at this point."
CA Descano provided this statement to 7News:
"I have seen and am devastated by the body-worn camera footage showing yet another death of a Black man at the hands of police. My heart grieves for the Johnsons, who lost a beloved family member over an incident involving a pair of sunglasses. Like many members of our community, I sincerely hope to see the day when police shootings are a thing of the past.
As the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney, it is my responsibility to proceed with a comprehensive and independent investigation of this incident, and that’s what I’ve been doing since the night of February 22nd. I expect to make a decision on how best to proceed in the coming weeks.”