Today, Fairfax County authorities released body camera footage related to an attempted murder of officers in Fair Oaks on April 23. The footage was made available on the Department’s YouTube page, with age verification required by the platform.
The incident occurred during a traffic stop in the 4000 block of Majestic Lane near Greenbriar. Jamal Wali, 36, from Fairfax, reportedly did not comply with officer commands and subsequently reached for a firearm, shooting two officers. Officer Ian Lachapelle, who has been with the department for two years and is assigned to the Fair Oaks Police District, returned fire. Wali was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officer Lachapelle is currently on restricted duty as investigations continue.
The body-worn camera footage is set to be released within 30 days of the incident according to departmental guidelines. Updates can be followed through the department’s blog and social media channels.
On April 23 at approximately 2:36 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle driven by Wali during routine traffic enforcement. Wali was described as argumentative and non-compliant. Backup arrived at the scene before Wali reached for his weapon and shot two officers. A third officer then fired back at Wali four times.
Life-saving measures were immediately administered to both injured officers and Wali by responding officers. The wounded officers were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries while Wali succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
A photograph of the firearm used by Wali was recovered at the scene. The involved officer remains on restricted duty pending criminal and administrative investigations led by Major Crimes Bureau and Internal Affairs Bureau respectively.
The use-of-force investigation results will be submitted to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, while an administrative review will be conducted by Internal Affairs along with oversight from an Independent Police Auditor. The officer’s name will be disclosed within ten days following departmental policy.
All information provided is based on preliminary findings which may change as further evidence emerges.
For ongoing updates regarding this case, follow @FairfaxCountyPD on social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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