More findings released in PWC Police case of officer involved shooting

A preliminary review of the Sept. 23, 2015 officer involved shooting that occurred near Lake Drive in Manassas has been completed. In the interest of keeping our community informed of significant incidents involving our officers, further details of that incident are being publicly released, according to Sgt. Jonathan Perok, who heads the department’s public information office.

On September 23rd at 2:11PM, officers responded to a residence located in the 7600 block of Lake Dr in Manassas (20111) to investigate a report of a trespasser/suspicious person. The homeowner reported that she was on a back deck of the residence when her dog alerted her to an unknown man hiding in a bush near her deck on her property. After a brief verbal encounter, the man fled towards a nearby creek and the homeowner contacted police.

Officers searched for the man, suspecting that he may have intended to break into the home or possibly cause harm to the resident. The officers located man lying in a grassy area behind a nearby water pumping facility. The man brandished a crowbar and raised it towards the officers in an aggressive manner while making verbal threats towards them. The officers gave the man several commands to drop the weapon, which he refused. The officers sprayed the man in the face with pepper spray before he fled on foot across Bull Run Creek into Fairfax County. The officers pursued the man and continued issuing verbal commands. The man then turned and faced the officers, who were within a few feet. The man advanced towards the officers while again raising the crowbar in a threatening manner. One officer fired at the man, striking him in the upper body. The officers immediately rendered first aid and called for medical assistance. No officers were injured in the incident. The man involved in this incident was identified as Jonathan Alexander Diaz-Chavez, 22, of no fixed address. Fairfax County Police assisted in this investigation with Prince William County Police being the lead agency.

Following the investigation Diaz-Chavez was charged with one count of attempted aggravated malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer. Diaz-Chavez was treated at an area hospital and was later remanded to the Prince William Adult Detention Center with a preliminary court date set for November 18, 2015.

According to Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert, “I have carefully reviewed the evidence and circumstances leading up to the shooting of Jonathan Diaz-Chavez on September 23rd and have ruled the shooting justified. I find the officers were in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily harm when they used potential lethal force in their attempt to apprehend the suspect.”
                                         
Prince William County Police Chief Steve Hudson commented, “While our formal investigation is ongoing, it is clear that the responding officers acted appropriately and lawfully in their efforts to apprehend this potentially dangerous subject. Police officers do not desire to use lethal force, but in these rare cases they must act quickly and decisively to protect themselves and others.  I am thankful that the resident and officers were not harmed, and that the suspect will survive to face the criminal justice system and hopefully receive the help he needs.”

The Police Department’s administrative investigation is continuing and the final review will be conducted by the Department’s Police Deadly Force Shooting Review Board, which will examine all of the details in the incident.

The officer involved in the shooting was identified as Officer Kevin Curry, a 17 year law enforcement veteran of the Prince William County Police Department.

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