Arlington police release body camera video after officers kill man in 7-Eleven
Arlington County police released long-awaited body camera video after officers shot and killed a man in a 7-Eleven store this spring.
Shawn Valn died after the shooting May 8. He was 33.
Officers shot Valn after he allegedly threatened to slap a woman and then barricaded himself for hours with a knife on May 8 in the storage room of the store on Columbia Pike near S. Monroe Street.
Chief Charles Penn said Friday that Valn disobeyed officers’ instructions several times and that police used a negotiator and several non-lethal methods to try to get him to come out and drop the knife. Those methods included a drone, irritant powder, Tasers and a round of sponge projectiles.
At one point in the video, Valn can be heard calling out, “Less lethal. Less lethal.”
Police said officers breached the storage room twice and shot Valn when they say he raised the knife at them.
After the shooting, officers could be seen giving Valn aid. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
“This incident ended in a tragic loss of life, and we recognize that the use of any deadly force has profound impacts on those involved, their family members and friends, our officers and the broader Arlington community,” Penn said.
The initial deadline to release the body camera video was last Friday. Police missed the deadline, which raised concerns on the county’s board of supervisors.
The commonwealth’s attorney called for a special grand jury to review the shooting and determine if any charges should be filed.
The Arlington Coalition of Police said in a statement: “Our members look forward to being given the opportunity to serve as witnesses in front of the special grand jury to ensure a full account of the event is provided to jurors.”
What News4 asked Arlington Police Chief Charles Penn
News4 asked the police chief what urgency there was to get Valn to come out and why officers breached the door twice if he was alone in the room. The chief said during the standoff, a judge had issued a warrant for Valn’s arrest, for threatening to slap the woman.
The chief said the agency is working on updating its policy around releasing video after deadly shootings.
News4 asked the chief for details about the two officers involved. He wouldn’t give their names, citing the ongoing investigation. He said they’re both corporals, with six and seven years on the force, and are on restricted duty. The chief would not answer questions about whether the officers had any previous incidents involving the use of force.
‘Very unsettling’
Days after Valn’s violent death, Arlington residents held a candlelight vigil. They said he was experiencing homelessness and was well-known in the community.
“He was a part of the community. Just a person who lived day by day,” said one resident, Alexis.
“His life ended with lethal force, and that is a very unsettling, disruptive thing to happen to someone who was really peaceful,” another neighbor said.
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Gunfire erupted on S. Lowell Street in Arlington’s Green Valley neighborhood two nights in a row. At least one person was hit, six cars were damaged and at least two homes were struck. News4’s Juliana Valencia reports.
