Editor’s Note: A sentence in a previous version of this story used an incorrect name reference. The sentence has been updated.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — A grand jury decided Monday not to indict a police officer whom investigators said killed a man in February after the man stole sunglasses from a store at Tysons Corner Center.
Sgt. Wesley Shifflett was accused of shooting Timothy Johnson on Feb. 22 shortly after the shoplifting was to have taken place. The Fairfax County Police Department later fired Shifflett.
Court documents filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court said the grand jury did not believe there was enough probable cause to indict Shifflett.
The Fairfax County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney planned to hold a news conference on Monday with an update on the case; however, the office canceled the news conference after the grand jury’s decision not to indict.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano released a statement:
Earlier this morning, I sat with Timothy Johnson’s family and told them I expected an indictment to come today in the killing of their son, so I can only imagine their pain and shock when they received the news that the officer who shot and killed their unarmed son was not indicted. Since, by law, no prosecutors were permitted to be present in the room when the investigating officers made their presentation to the grand jury, I can’t say for sure what information was conveyed to the grand jurors. In light of this outcome, I am evaluating all options on the path forward and continue to grieve Timothy’s loss.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano
