A suspect shot and killed by police after shooting two officers during a traffic stop in Northern Virginia had a previous run in with police during a 2018 traffic stop.
Officers pulled over 36-year-old Jamal Wali of Fairfax for speeding in the Greenbriar community Wednesday afternoon, according to Fairfax County police. When they approached him, Wali was hostile and combative and announced he had a gun.
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WATCH HERE“Tells him to stop reaching, stop reaching, and tries to prevent the gunman — the occupant of the car — from grabbing his gun,” said Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, who said he watched the body-worn camera video of the incident. “The gun comes out of the holster. The driver of the car — our gunman — takes his gun out of the holster and leans back in his driver’s seat and immediately opens fire.”
Gunfire hit two officers in the arm, police said. A third officer shot Wali, who was pronounced dead at a hospital.
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SIGN UP A large emergency response unfolded in the 4000 block of Majestic Lane at Lee Jackson Highway (Route 50), in a dense shopping and residential area — close to the Greenbriar Town Center — that also has a lot of commuter traffic during the evening.
Video taken from the parking lot of the Greenbriar Town Center parking lot showed the massive police response to the situation. Officers could be seen kneeling near a police cruiser, guns drawn and pointed down Route 50, as bystanders in the parking lot discussed what might have caused the police presence.
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The shopping center is popular, with a 7-Eleven location that young people often stop by after school — roughly the time that the shooting took place. The car and crime scene were located right across the parking lot from that convenience store's entrance.
Chopper4 video showed red and yellow crime tape stretching over a large swath of a residential parking area just off Lee Jackson Highway. Video also showed a silver sedan stopped in the roadway of Route 50, with medical equipment on the street as well.
Officers attempted to pull over Wali in 2018, but he didn’t stop initially, later stopping at a shopping center, police said. He was charged with felony speed to elude, resisting arrest and running a red light. His concealed carry permit was suspended following that incident.
The officers who were shot have been released from the hospital. The officer who shot Wali is on administrative leave.
Once Fairfax County police finish their investigation into the shooting, the case will be turned over to the commonwealth’s attorney for review.
The name of the officer who shot the suspect will be released in about 10 days. Body-camera video from this incident will be made public in about 30 days.
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