Thursday, November 7, 2024

No Charges To Be Filed Against United States Park Police Officer

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a United States Park Police Officer for his role in a March 18, 2023, fatal shooting of Dalaneo Martin, 17.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Internal Affair’s Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of physical evidence, surveillance video footage, body-worn camera footage, audio and visual recordings from an ambulance, witness accounts, autopsy records, and MPD reports.

            On March 18, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officers received a radio run for a suspicious vehicle parked in the 3400 block of Baker Street, Northeast, a residential block.  MPD and United States Park Police Officers responded to the scene and observed a sleeping individual, later identified as Dalaneo Martin, sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.  It was determined that the vehicle had affixed to it a license plate belonging to another car, and that its ignition had been punched.

            The Officers devised a plan to remove the Mr. Martin from the vehicle.  In the course of executing that plan, Mr. Martin woke up, a struggle ensued, and Mr. Martin put the car in drive and accelerated down the street with a United States Park Police Officer in the backseat of the car.

            While still in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle, the Officer stated to Mr. Martin, “Stop,” as the vehicle drove eastbound on Baker Street, towards Kenilworth Avenue. As Mr. Martin continued to drive, making a left turn onto the 200 block of Kenilworth Avenue, the Officer again stated, “Stop man, just let me out! Let me out! Stop or I’ll shoot.”  After this warning, as the vehicle continued to travel northbound on Kenilworth Avenue, towards 36th Street, the Park Police Officer extended his service pistol forward and held the service pistol with a two handed grip and discharged five rounds from his service pistol at Mr. Martin, striking him.

            After Mr. Martin was struck by the Park Police Officer’s discharged rounds, the vehicle continued to travel northbound on 36th Street, then left the road, crossed over the sidewalk, went up an embankment and then crashed into a house on the south side of 36th Street, Northeast. Mr. Martin was pronounced dead on the scene. 

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the United State Park Police Officer is criminally liable for Mr. Martin’s death.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.  MPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.