WASHINGTON – Following a mental health crisis call on Wednesday, a police officer in D.C.’s NoMa area shot and killed a man, who the police have identified. While investigators withheld the officer’s identity, they did reveal that they are a 31-year department veteran.
Clifford Brooks, 41, of Northeast D.C., was the man shot and murdered, according to DC Police investigators on Thursday.
Around 6:45 a.m., according to Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department, police were called to a mental health crisis in the 2500 block of Benning Road Northeast. A qualified crisis intervention officer was among the responding officers. Following nearly two hours of conversation, Brooks made the decision to visit a nearby hospital.
Smith claimed that as Brooks was being driven to the hospital in an ambulance, he turned hostile and attacked the medical staff, hitting a paramedic with a wall inside. In the vicinity of North Capitol Street and New York Avenue, Northwest, the paramedic managed to escape by breaking free and sneaking out the side door. Brooks trailed outside with the paramedic.
Smith claimed that as the ambulance followed, police tried to apprehend the man by giving him orders, but Brooks disregarded them. Smith claimed that the man was hit by pepper spray from one officer, but it “did not take effect.” More police were dispatched to the area.
Then Brooks crawled beneath a truck on North Capitol Street after being stuck in traffic. A little later, he came out holding something metal. According to Smith, the police are still looking into what the object was. Brooks disregarded many orders from officers to drop the object he was holding.
According to the police, Brooks lunged in the direction of the officer, swung the metal object at him, and grabbed at him. Smith claimed that one of the officers then opened fire on the individual. After being hit, Brooks succumbed to a gunshot wound.
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