Officer Involved Shooting Cleared - News Release

NEWS RELEASE
City of Takoma Park Police Department
* 7500 Maple Avenue * Takoma Park, Md 20912

For more information contact:
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Catherine Plevy, 301/891.7142 or 240/338.2901
January 3, 2013 (11:15 a.m.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Alan M. Goldberg announces that the officer involved shooting that occurred on December 10, 2011, involving Cpl. Keith Largent was presented to the Prince George’s County Grand Jury. The Prince George's County Grand Jury cleared Cpl. Largent of the shooting and determined that the shooting was lawful. Chief Goldberg would like to thank the Takoma Park Police Department and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work on this case. Once again the cooperation between agencies was outstanding.
On December 10, 2011, at approximately 3:47 p.m., Takoma Park Police responded to the 6900 block of New Hampshire Avenue (Sunoco Gas Station) for the report of an assault with a knife in progress. As the officers arrived at the scene, they were flagged down by citizens pointing to a red vehicle, later identified as a Ford Focus, operated by the suspect. The suspect was fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed. Investigation at the scene revealed that the victim was filling his vehicle with gas and had left the vehicle to go inside the convenience mart at the gas station. The victim came out and observed the suspect in his vehicle and yelled at him to get out and screamed for people to call the police. The victim confronted the suspect as he was getting out of his vehicle; apparently the suspect had demanded property from the victim and the keys to his vehicle. At that time a confrontation occurred as the victim resisted and then was stabbed multiple times.
The suspect then ran to his Ford Focus, which was parked approximately 10 yards away, got into his vehicle and then rammed the victim’s vehicle. He then fled the lot going northbound on New Hampshire Avenue.

Two Takoma Park officers who arrived on the scene picked up the pursuit, which began northbound on New Hampshire Avenue. The officers lost sight of the vehicle for a period of time. The female officer then saw the vehicle overturned at Riggs Road and Metzerot Road. The suspect vehicle had apparently struck three occupied vehicles and then overturned. The female officer observed the suspect fleeing from his vehicle. She pursued him on foot and, several yards away from his vehicle, she confronted him and was forced to deploy her taser which had no affect on the suspect. The suspect then charged the female officer and assaulted her and then a second Takoma Park police officer arrived demanding that the suspect stop. Fearing for the life of his fellow officer, he fired his weapon multiple times causing the suspect to fall off of the officer.

The suspect was transported to MedStar Washington Hospital Center where he was pronounced deceased. The victim was also transported to MedStar Washington Hospital Center where he underwent surgery and remained in critical condition for a period of time. Because of the life-saving efforts of all Takoma Park Police officers involved, the victim survived and physically recovered.