Video from police body cameras showed officers chasing Timothy Johnson, who was suspected of stealing a pair of sunglasses from a mall near Washington D.C. on Feb. 22, 2023. Fairfax County Police Department said Johnson, who was unarmed, was fatally shot by former officer Wesley Shifflett who was indicted on Oct. 12, 2023. (Source: Fairfax County Police Department)
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Former cop indicted after fatal shooting of Black man outside mall in Virginia

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by Corey A. Washington

WASHINGTON D.C. — A former police officer with Fairfax County Police Department was reportedly indicted after he shot and killed a man suspected of shoplifting at a mall earlier this year.

Video from police body cameras showed officers chasing Timothy Johnson, who was suspected of stealing a pair of sunglasses from a mall near Washington D.C. on Feb. 22, 2023. Fairfax County Police Department said Johnson, who was unarmed, was fatally shot by former officer Wesley Shifflett. Shifflett was indicted on Oct. 12, 2023. (Source: Fairfax County Police Department)
Video from police body cameras showed officers chasing Timothy Johnson, who was suspected of stealing a pair of sunglasses from a mall near Washington D.C. on Feb. 22, 2023. Fairfax County Police Department said Johnson, who was unarmed, was fatally shot by former officer Wesley Shifflett. Shifflett was indicted on Oct. 12, 2023. (Source: Fairfax County Police Department)

Wesley Shifflett was indicted by a special grand jury on Thursday on felony charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm, reported NBC Washington.

Shifflett was reportedly also dismissed from his job as a police sergeant with Fairfax County Police Department in March.

Thursday’s indictment comes after a grand jury previously declined to indict the Shifflett in April.

Timothy Johnson, a 37-year-old Black man suspected of shoplifting a pair of sunglasses, was shot by police in a wooded area near the Tysons Corner Center mall on Feb. 22.

Video from police-worn body cameras showed Johnson running from police after he allegedly stole the sunglasses from one of the stores in the mall.

Johnson later died from his injuries at a local hospital.

More on the indictment and case here.

Corey A. Washington

Corey A. Washington is Editor of BLK News Now! His journalism experience includes Television, Newspapers, and Digital Media as a Writer, Reporter, Content Producer, and Digital Producer. Some of those media outlets include CBS Phoenix (KPHO), NBC4 Los Angeles, ABC7 Los Angeles, California Black Media, SCNG, and more. He can be reached at Corey@BLKNewsNow.com.

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