Fairfax police release footage from officer-involved shooting in Falls Church
By: The Fairfax County Police Department released a video from the officer-involved shooting Oct. 6 at Arlington Boulevard and Graham Road.
Police officers approached the suspect while he was shooting at them. One of the officers fired five rounds, said Police Chief Kevin Davis at a media briefing Nov. 2. None of the shots hit the suspect.
Ricardo Singleton, 27, of Arlington, was charged with use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and attempted wounding of a law enforcement officer.
“The officer perceived a deadly threat to himself and others,” Davis said. “He returned fire because his life was in jeopardy.”
The officer is on “modified restricted duty,” he said. The incident has yet to be reviewed by the commonwealth’s attorney.
The video is a compilation of footage from cameras in police cars, body-worn cameras, footage from two motorists who happened to be on the scene, and radio traffic between the Fairfax County and Arlington County police departments.
That morning, Arlington County police reported that a man was shooting at officers during a traffic stop. They obtained a warrant for Singleton and spent hours looking for him.
Arlington police found him that evening, but he fired multiple rounds at the officers and failed to stop. The pursuit headed into Fairfax County.
Singleton struck several vehicles rendering his car disabled on Arlington Boulevard at the Graham Road intersection. He got out of his car and fired numerous rounds at FCPD officers.
The cellphone videos taken by civilians show Singleton running toward a Shell station firing rounds. People inside the cars can be heard screaming, “Get down, he’s got a gun.”
FCPD body camera footage shows Singleton firing at police and running behind the Bestway grocery store on Graham Road, with officers running after him.
After police caught Singleton next to the Vinh Kee Restaurant, he was served with Arlington County’s initial warrants, as well as additional charges of felony eluding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, felony reckless discharge. and three counts of attempted malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer.
Singleton remains held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
Police recovered his weapon, a Glock 17 (9mm) with an extended magazine. Two more loaded extended magazines were found in his car. “He was armed with 90-plus rounds of ammunition,” Davis said.
“This could have been a whole lot worse than it was,” Davis said. The intersection was crowded that night. There were pedestrians walking around and people at the gas station. “It was really fortunate that no civilians were harmed or worse.”
He said the officers showed grace and poise and “acted consistent with their training.”