Body-camera video shows a Maryland police officer shooting and killing a man inside his apartment last month.
Prince George’s County police Officer Braxton Shelton responded to a breaking-and-entering call at Windham Creek Apartments in Suitland Feb. 1, police said. He went into an apartment alone and shot and killed 31-year-old Melvin Jay in the kitchen.
The body-camera video starts with Shelton parking and walking toward the unit where the alleged break-in took place. He entered without identifying himself and shouted commands to “show me your hands” before a shot was fired. About 35 seconds passed between the time Shelton got out of his cruiser and the shot was fired.
After the shot, Shelton addresses another man in the apartment, asking him if he lived there and what he was doing there. The man said it was his cousin’s house and Jay was his brother.
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More officers arrived and searched the home and provided aid to Jay, but Jay died at the scene.
Officers found a gun in Jay’s pocket and another near the kitchen sink, police said. It’s unclear from the video if Jay had anything in his hands, and police haven’t said who the guns belonged to.
In the 911 call officers responded to, the caller said a neighbor told him someone was breaking into his apartment. The caller did not say Jay might be inside.
The caller, Jay and the person who allegedly broke into the apartment are related, police said.
“Our team has begun the initial phase of the case investigation and will refrain from providing further comments at this time,” said a statement from lead attorney Ronald Richardson of Murphy, Falcon and Murphy, the law firm representing Jay’s family.
Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz released a video response to the shooting recorded by the department, but News4 was unable to ask him any questions.
Shelton remains on administrative leave while the Maryland Office of the Attorney General investigates the shooting. Shelton has four years of law enforcement experience, according to the attorney general.
The complete body-camera video released by police can be viewed here but is graphic and some may find it disturbing.
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