Crime & Safety
Police: Video Raises Questions About Shooting
New Prince George's County Police Inspector General says police are trying to be transparent as they investigate a conflicting sequence of events surrounding a police-involved shooting in Brentwood.
The Inspector General's office of the Prince George's County Police Department is reviewing the sequence of events which led up to an police-involved shooting in Brentwood this past Friday.
According to police, a surveillance with the version of events provided by the detectives involved.
Carlos Acosta, the new inspector general for the Prince George's County Police Department, said at a press conference outside county police headquarters that the discrepancies came to his attention yesterday as investigators were reviewing the incident.
two detectives working a robbery suppression detail in the vicinity of the 3800 block of Rhode Island attempted to break up what they thought might have been an impending robbery of a gas station. During this time, a chase and a struggle ensued which saw one of the detectives fire his weapon before apprehending two subjects in relation to the apparent impending robbery.
Acosta said that the new surveillance video was presented to the state's attorney's office. He also said that the police department was now dealing with the matter administratively as an internal investigation.
Acosta did not describe in detail the events shown on the video, saying only that it showed the two detectives approaching two subjects and their interactions. He did not describe the discrepancies between the video and the version of events initially provided by the two detectives involved in the incident.
"I am not willing to talk about that at this time because, as I said, it is very preliminary," Acosta told the media.
The video has been turned over to the state's attorney's office which is now reviewing the evidence to see if the charges against should be modified.
Acosta said that investigators raised questions about the detectives version of events when compared to the video recording.
"We had questions about that," said Acosta. "That's what caused us to pause and say everybody stand down."
Acosta said that he believes the officers did indeed break up an attempted robbery.
"We are making sure that there is evidence to support that," said Acosta. "We think there was evidence that supports that, obviously the whole part is still under scrutiny, but we are proceeding in that manner."
Police did not recommend to the State's Attorney that all charges be dropped.
The two detectives remain suspended while the investigation continues.
as Cpl. Donald Taylor, a 13-year veteran of the police force assigned to the District I Bureau of Patrol.
The second detective has not been identified.
Acosta said that officers found to have lied to investigators could face a wide range of punishment, from a fine to dismissal to criminal charges if necessary.
Acosta, only his first few days on the job as inspector general, praised the work of the police investigators and administration so far in this matter.
"It was immediately determined by the police department that this needed to go to the state's attorney's office, and it was, and the right things were done," said Acosta. "I am pleased with the process so far."
Acosta said that he thinks the vast majority of the county police are staying above the law, but he had a message for unscrupulous public employees within the department.
"The people who don't want to follow the rules, they know who they are," said Acosta. "They absolutely understand that it's going to be the case that they will be held accountable."
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