Police identify officer involved in dog shooting
Officers had initially responded to the park June 25 for a report of two dogs running loose. One of the dogs, a German Shepherd, bit two visitors. As the dog advanced aggressively toward Ashraf, he fired a single round, striking the dog in the leg.
The dog’s injuries were believed to be non-life-threatening, but the its owner decided to have the dog euthanized.
When the criminal investigation is completed, the findings will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County, the FCPD states. The Independent Police Auditor is monitoring the investigation and will conduct an independent review.
In other FCPD news, detectives are investigating two shooting incidents.
Officers from the West Springfield Police District responded shortly after 6 p.m. July 3 to the 5200 block of Queensberry Avenue in North Springfield for a person who had been shot.
Officers found Johnathan Velasquez Romero, 19, of Springfield, with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his hand. Information was falsely reported to the police indicating that a man with a mask was involved. FCPD detectives later determined that Romero’s injury was accidentally self-inflicted. He was charged with reckless handling of a firearm and issued a summons.
About two hours later, officers from the Franconia Police District responded to a local hospital after a man was dropped off with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his lower body. Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances of this shooting and are working to determine whether it is related to the accidental discharge on Queensberry Avenue.
Detectives do not have any information to indicate these incidents are gang-related or related to recent shootings in Gum Springs and Rose Hill.
Three men and three juveniles were arrested July 2 after they robbed a 7-Eleven in the Reston area. Detectives believe they are responsible for a series of other 7-Eleven robberies, including one in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale at about 3 a.m. on June 29.
Michael Ackah, 20, of Alexandria was charged with robbery and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Amon Headley and Victor Obinim, both 18 and from Alexandria, were charged with robbery. Three juvenile boys were arrested and charged with robbery. Additional charges related to the other robberies are pending.
