ANNANDALE, Va. - Fairfax County police released body-worn camera footage of a confrontation that ended in an officer-involved shooting in Annandale last month.
The video shows the moments a suspect, who police say attempted to disarm an officer, was shot during a search in a densely wooded area off Americana Drive.
The initial call
The backstory:
On the morning of July 28, officers initially responded to a residence on the 7000 block of Sutter Lane for a reported domestic dispute. According to investigators, 26-year-old Nehemia Fuentes Banegas was armed with two knives and had injured himself before fleeing the home on foot.
To locate the armed and injured suspect, the department deployed K9 units and its helicopter, eventually tracking him to heavy brush near Americana Drive.
Man shot after grabbing officer’s gun during Annandale domestic incident, police say
Fairfax County police say a man was shot after emerging from a wooded area and grabbing an officer’s gun during a domestic incident in Annandale.
Bodycam footage
What we know:
The newly released bodycam footage highlights the rapid escalation as officers closed in on the suspect's location:
As officers searched the dense vegetation, police say Fuentes Banegas lunged at Second Lt. Edwin Pastora, a 12-year veteran of the force, and grabbed the officer's firearm in an attempt to disarm him.
During the struggle for the weapon, Pastora fired one round, which grazed Fuentes Banegas's shoulder. Simultaneously, a second officer deployed a Taser to subdue the suspect.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis emphasized during a briefing on Wednesday that the discharge was an intentional act, and the officers acted consistently with department training and policy.
The aftermath
Dig deeper:
Following the shooting, officers immediately rendered medical aid. Fuentes Banegas was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Upon medical clearance, he was transferred to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he is currently being held without bond on charges of Attempted Disarming of a Law Enforcement Officer.
Both officers involved in the incident were initially placed on restricted duty pending the standard use-of-force investigation. Chief Davis confirmed Wednesday that both officers have since been cleared and returned to full duty.
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Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis one on one
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis joined us for a one on one conversation about school safety as students return to class. He also addresses a recent officer involved shooting, with new body camera footage expected to be released.
The criminal investigation by the Major Crimes Bureau remains ongoing and will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney, alongside an independent review by the Police Auditor.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the Fairfax County Police Department.