911 call adds new mystery in Park Police shooting of unarmed man
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A 911 call released Monday raises new questions in the 2017 fatal police involved shooting of Bijan Ghaisar.
The call, placed by the passenger in an Uber, reports they have just been involved in a "hit and run" crash on the GW Parkway.
She mentions BIJAN in the call and the fact the jeep had been stopped in the middle of the road. But before she can add further details the call taker at Arlington's 911 center says he is going to transfer the call to the U.S. Park Police.
Seconds later a man comes on the line identifying himself as "United States Park Police communications Sergeant Snow" but as the Uber passenger begins to explain what happens the call is cut off.
An Arlington official confirmed recorded calls end as soon as a call is transferred to another agency.
A spokesman for U.S. Park Police, Sergeant Eduardo Delgado tells Fox 5, a call like that would normally have been recorded but it's unclear if investigators have a copy of the call.
One of the biggest mysteries in the case is what the Park Police were told. Why did the officers who eventually caught up with Ghaisar on the parkway pulled their firearms as they approached the car. That part of the story is now still in the dark.
An accident report says the Uber driver hit the back of Ghaisar's jeep when he suddenly stopped in the road just prior to Slater's Lane.
The driver told FOX 5 that Ghaisar never looked back, and that he never acknowledged there had been an accident before driving off.
Just last month the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District announced it would not be prosecuting the two officers who opened fire on Ghaisar as he slowly pulled away from them at Fort Hunt Road and Alexandria Avenue.
A shooting recorded by a Fairfax County Police cruiser's dash camera.
Prosecutors said they could not conclude that the officers committed a willful violation of civil rights law. But did not explain why the officers opened fire.
In an answer to a civil suit filed by Ghaisar's family, the officers claimed they fired in self defense.
Ghaisar stopped twice along the parkway as officers pursued him. Each time the officers jumped out with guns drawn. The third time Ghaisar stopped, he was shot.
Records show he was unarmed.